As the cricketing world is currently tuned to the T20 International World Cup, an event that happens every two years, it is hard to imagine that it is still not the biggest event in T20 cricket. The biggest event starts in a month and a half’s time, where 10 of the biggest franchises in world cricket today butt heads for nearly two months until the best team emerges. That is the IPL for you.
With an estimated $18.5 billion in valuation in 2025, the IPL is the biggest event in the world of cricket. It is also the second biggest sporting league in the world (after the NFL in the USA). The IPL brings in nearly $10 billion in revenue every year, and therefore, it is natural for some of the biggest brands in the world to be associated with it.
But when the competition, i.e., IPL, is a single, finite tournament (although it is expanding), there can only be enough brand integration done.
While I am aware it sounds surprising, given that there are 10 teams, each carrying multiple sponsors’ logos on their jersey, in addition to the title sponsors and all the other side sponsors, it may seem like the platform has more than adequate companies associated with it. But such is the demand for the IPL that almost every single company wants to be involved with it or feature in it to increase its gains.
This has led to clashes between companies in the past seasons, which we sometimes refer to as the “Sponsorship Wars.” From DLF to TATA Group to PepsiCo to Vivo and Dream11, the IPL title sponsorships have changed hands many times. In 2026, right before the 20th edition, IPL is once again the platform for several brands to display and advertise themselves.
Here are some of the biggest “Sponsorship Wars” that happened at the IPL 2026, even before the tournament began.
Nandini vs Amul for RCB – The Dairy Battle
The Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) is trying aggressively to make its brand, ‘Nandini,’ the official dairy partner for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2026. This move would mean a huge push-out to one of the dairy giants in India – Amul.
The Karnataka Milk Federation is eager to leverage the huge and passionate fanbase of RCB, and also Virat Kohli’s superstar power and crazy fandom. Their product, Nandini, is also local. That might be an advantage for them, since they won’t have to buy time by inserting their product into a new market. It could be an instant hit with the Karnataka people during the IPL.
The proposed partnership includes on-ground, digital, and print rights. There are also plans for player endorsements.
RCB Title Sponsor in 2026
Now, with some news on the technology front, RCB has announced ‘Nothing’ as its title sponsor for the next two seasons. The Nothing phones will now feature whenever RCB walks out onto the field or is visible.
But Nothing phones isn’t the only big news on the technology front when it comes to sponsorship. A sponsorship deal worth INR 270 crores between the BCCI and the Google AI platform Gemini.
RCB Ownership Itself
Diageo has put up RCB for sale, and the process is expected to conclude by March 31, 2026. The bids for RCB could reach up to $1.8 billion, and potential bidders include Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla, Manchester United’s Avram Glazer, and Gautam Adani.
Airline Partnerships
Some of the airlines’ partnerships with franchises for the 2026 IPL will be:
- RCB – Qatar Airways
- CSK – Etihad Airways
- Mumbai Indians – Malaysia Airlines
- Sunrisers Hyderabad – AirAsia
Brand Shift
After the BCCI banned betting platforms, one big sponsor, Dream11, just vanished from the market. Apollo tyres has since stepped into the picture. As per this trend, more traditional brands and FMCG companies are expected to feature in 2026.
Title Sponsor
Finally, the title sponsor for IPL remains the same. Tata Group has renewed its contract till 2028.
Beverages
As far as beverages are concerned, Reliance’s Campa Cola is increasing its presence in the IPL.
The learning for brand managers from the IPL, regarding Sports Marketing, is as simple as “Go where the money flows.” IPL has become such a giant force mainly due to the insurmountable amount of money it generates.
For all the discussions about ethics, controversies regarding the duration of the tournament, and dislike from some corners of the cricketing world for prioritizing T20 over Tests, and many more, they all turn mundane when the money is eye-watering.
Practical people, such as businessmen, managers, and others, looking to make money, increase their business, and improve the economy, will definitely cash in on the opportunity.
This is simply because we live in a capitalist world, and if someone passes up an opportunity to make money from a platform as lucrative as the IPL, then someone else will grab that opportunity immediately, as evidenced by the “Sponsorship Wars” we saw in this IPL and the ones before this.
Hence, marketers and managers should know that Sports Marketing is a lucrative field, but only if they invest smartly and in time. You have to identify the right platforms, know where to invest in those platforms, and study your competition thoroughly before that.
