The clash of brands

Endorsement-related issues for players and their managers are far from over after the Oppo-BCCI contract

While Oppo’s Team India jersey sponsorship may mean big money for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), it opens a spate of endorsement-related issues for the players and their managers. The most obvious of course is captain Virat Kohli, who endorses Gionee, and will be seen sporting a competing brand on his jersey on field.

Experts however feel that for the viewers, it does not matter who is wearing which logo when and why. “There are only so many cricketers who are bankable as endorsers and only so many brands will to fork out the kind of money required for cricket sponsorships. So there will be some overlap, and the individual contracts take cognisance of this scenario,” says a brand manager who works with cricket endorsers. He also points out that with team sponsorships, the entire team is wearing a uniform and no one brand on one particular player stands out. “However, if like Star, Oppo intends to use Team India players for brand campaigns, then by all logic, Kohli should not be available to do so; otherwise, there could be some serious conflict of interest. It would also result in loss of credibility for Kohli’s brand since he would be seen endorsing competing brand,” he adds.

Sources clarify that personal endorsements have been protected under the new Oppo-BCCI contract. “Virat’s personal endorsement deal with Gionee is safe and the two will not clash,” assures a source close to the cricketer.

In 2002, the participation of top Indian players was doubtful at the

Champions Trophy because of sponsorship conflicts between personal endorsement deals, and the sponsors/commercial partners of the International Cricket Council. This was, however, resolved after the brand and the organising committee sat across the table and sorted out the pain-points on both sides.