MUMBAI -- Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo replaced PepsiCo as the title sponsor for the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday, after the beverage giant suddenly pulled out of five-year deal with IPL. PepsiCo was supposed to remain title sponsor till 2017.
"The IPL title sponsorship right has been assigned to M/S Vivo mobiles. Vivo is to give the Bank Guarantee in next 10 days," the BCCI said in a statement on Sunday, after its all-powerful working committee meeting was concluded today.
Meanwhile, in the meeting chaired by new BCCI president Shashank Manohar, it was decided that IPL franchises Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals will not be terminated, even as the teams face a two-year ban from the IPL. As of now, the BCCI will float tenders for two new franchises to replace CSK and RR for IPL 2016. This means that once the ban on the two teams is lifted, there will be 10 teams in the IPL from 2018.
It was also decided that Nike would be retained as the apparel sponsor of the Indian cricket team. "Nike contract as the official apparel sponsors of the Indian Cricket Team has been extended," the BCCI said.
PepsiCo had became title sponsors of the IPL in 2013 after they bid a whopping Rs 396.8 crore for five seasons. Before Pepsi, DLF had paid Rs 200 crore to become title sponsors of the tournament from 2008 till 2012.
PepsiCo's decision to end its deal with IPL was reportedly caused by the spot-fixing scandal which shook the game in 2013.
Although the company did not come on record to specify the reasons but it was reported that PepsiCo felt the spot- fixing scandal had brought the IPL in disrepute.
In the 2013 season of the IPL, Ankeet Chavan, Ajit Chandila and S Sreesanth were arrested over charges of spot- fixing. This was followed by allegations that Chennai Super Kings team principle Gurunath Meiyappan, and Raj Kundra, co- owner of Rajasthan Royals, were involved in betting.
The BCCI banned the three cricketers for life and the Supreme Court appointed the Justice Mudgal committee to investigate the scandal.
The Supreme Court appointed the Justice RM Lodha panel and the quantum of punishment was decided, with CSK and Rajasthan Royals banned from the tournament for two years.
Meiyappan and Kundra, on the other hand, were banned for life.
(with PTI inputs)
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