Rs 1,000 crore & counting: Why team sponsorship is the new face of IPL advertising

When Dream11 lost the IPL’s central sponsorship rights to rival My11Circle in a Rs 625-crore blockbuster deal in 2024, many assumed India’s fantasy sports giant would play it safe this season. Instead, it launched one of the most aggressive brand counter-offensives yet, partnering with five franchises and unveiling the high-decibel “Aapki Team Mein Kaun Hai?” campaign across television and digital platforms.

Far from retreating, Dream11's strategy signals a powerful shift in how brands are leveraging the IPL ecosystem. According to industry sources, IPL franchises collectively earned around Rs 1,000 crore this year from direct sponsorships—a figure that reflects the growing power of team-level partnerships in India's most commercially potent sporting league.

The rise of team sponsorships

Franchise-level deals, once considered supplementary to central sponsorships, have taken center stage. According to sources, teams are now reporting a 15–20% year-on-year jump in sponsorship earnings. Premium inventory, such as front-of-jersey slots, is commanding top dollar, while long-term, multi-team partnerships are fast becoming the industry standard.

Experts estimate that team sponsorship earnings this IPL season have surged by over 30% compared to 2024 figures. In contrast, central sponsorships are projected to see only high single-digit growth. This underscores a clear trend: brands are shifting focus to franchise deals for more flexible and impactful engagement.

An industry expert revealed that Dream11 initially intended to renew its central IPL sponsorship but was outbid by competitors. Instead, the brand pivoted quickly, securing partnerships with franchises like Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals to ensure continued visibility and relevance during the tournament.

"Central deals offer broad exposure, but team tie-ups allow for richer, player-led storytelling,” the expert said. “The effectiveness of either depends on how the brand activates the partnership. Dream11’s campaign stood out due to strong creative direction and deep integration with cricket culture.”

A shifting landscape in commercial strategy

A senior insider noted that IPL 2025 marks a turning point in how brands approach the tournament. “My11Circle’s central sponsorship acquisition for Rs 625 crore over five years forced Dream11 to adapt. Their move to partner with five franchises reflects a growing trend where brands are distributing their presence more strategically across teams,” the insider said.

This broader investment approach is also being seen across categories. Financial services, consumer goods, and beverage brands are joining the fray, diversifying what was once a fantasy gaming-dominated space. As competition intensifies, brands must now be agile and precise in how they activate sponsorships.

“Multi-team tie-ups and deeper digital integrations are enabling more targeted engagement. In this highly competitive market, the ability to evolve quickly can make or break a brand’s IPL presence,” the insider added.

Why team sponsorships matter more than ever

The growing momentum behind team sponsorships is not accidental. Industry insiders emphasize that these partnerships were never inferior to central deals—both were crafted to serve distinct marketing goals from the beginning.

“The IPL’s commercial model has always distinguished between central and team-level deals based on pricing, deliverables, and positioning,” an expert said. “What’s changed is that stronger central revenue pools—from rising media rights and central sponsorships—have empowered franchises to hold firm on pricing.”

Category rivalries, especially within fantasy sports and now in the beverage sector, have further fuelled aggressive bidding for franchise-led assets. Leading teams like RCB, MI, and CSK have built deeply engaged fan ecosystems, allowing them to offer brands innovative rights packaging and year-round visibility—making team deals more appealing than ever.

Franchises are commercial entities

IPL franchises are no longer operating like seasonal cricket squads. They've become sophisticated commercial entities. Experts highlight how franchises such as RCB, MI, and CSK have stepped up their sponsorship monetization game by functioning more like global sports clubs.

“These franchises have nurtured year-round fan communities, giving them the leverage to command a premium for sponsorship assets. Their success with digital IPs, licensed products, and even non-jersey deals has redefined the revenue mix,” one expert said.

In fact, non-jersey sponsorships now contribute up to 50% of the value of jersey deals for top-tier teams. This has set a new benchmark across the league, compelling all 10 franchises to adopt a more structured and professional approach to sponsorship strategy.

As a result, the IPL ecosystem is more mature and commercially savvy than ever before—one that values long-term brand alignments over short-term wins and is less dependent on team performance alone.

The premium on team-specific IP

One of the biggest differentiators in team sponsorships is the access to player imagery and custom activations—assets central deals can’t offer. Industry voices are unanimous in stating that comparing central and team partnerships is like comparing apples to oranges.

“Central sponsorships are designed for pan-India giants with the budget and scale to activate across 74 matches in 13 cities. It's a high-stakes arena reserved for a few. Team deals, on the other hand, offer tangible, creative, and emotionally resonant opportunities for storytelling through player IPs and bespoke activations,” an expert explained.

Brands are increasingly realising the strong correlation between IPL team associations and tangible business outcomes—be it brand awareness, consumer engagement, or affinity. As this impact becomes more measurable, the value of team-specific IPs continues to rise.

Franchises, in turn, are becoming more proactive in offering differentiated, high-impact sponsorship packages—ranging from access to locker-room moments to behind-the-scenes digital content—that deepen brand immersion in meaningful ways.

IPL 2025 also witnessed a flurry of new entrants making their debut in team sponsorships. Notable first-timers include Lauritz Knudsen, Nothing Mobile, nfinity Toy Tronics, Lattafa Perfumes, RR Kabel, Vikram Solar, FedEx, Freemans, and Torrent Group. Their entry reflects the growing appeal and ROI potential of team-based brand activations.

Beyond Dream11 and My11Circle, TATA IPL 2025 also onboarded 18 additional central sponsors, including household names like Campa Energy, Birla Opus, PokerBaazi, SBI, PhonePe, Mutual Funds Sahi Hai, Thums Up, Google Search, Allen Solly, Jaquar Bath + Light, GPay, Kent Kuhl Fans, Campa, Joy Cosmetics, TVS, Asian Paints, Zupee, and Amul.

These brands—spanning categories such as Beverages, ACs and Fans, BFSI, Fintech, Fantasy Sports, Mobile Devices, and Paints—have been onboarded to maximize IPL’s unparalleled reach, with a view to forging deeper bonds with millions of cricket fans across the country.

In a major marketing coup, Dream11’s campaign featured Bollywood legends Aamir Khan and Ranbir Kapoor sharing screen space for the first time—alongside cricket stars Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya. The high-energy, emotionally charged advertisements reinforced Dream11’s aggressive push for visibility, even in the absence of a central sponsorship.

By marrying celebrity appeal with cricketing passion, Dream11 showcased just how far team-based strategies can go when executed with creative precision and media strength.

As IPL 2025 unfolds, one thing is clear—the commercial landscape is undergoing a dynamic transformation. Team sponsorships are no longer secondary; they are pivotal to how brands design their IPL playbook.

With professionalized franchises, aggressive competition, and increasingly media-savvy fans, the IPL is evolving into a marketing goldmine where creativity, agility, and alignment are key.

And at the heart of this transformation is the league's soaring brand value. With a brand valuation of $12 billion as per the Duff & Phelps, 2024 and business value pegged at $16.4 billion by Houlihan Lokey IPL Valuation Study 2024 alongside a 6.5% growth trajectory, the IPL is not just growing, it's thriving. Team valuations are mirroring this rise.

Leading the IPL franchise brand valuations is Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at $231 million, their strong performance history and long-standing connection with MS Dhoni being key drivers. Following closely are Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) with $227 million and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at $216 million, both benefiting from their star players and celebrity ownership. In contrast, Punjab Kings ($101 million) and Lucknow Super Giants ($91 million) highlight the varying effectiveness of sponsorship and fan engagement approaches across the league.