Hero Honda rethinks IPL team sponsorship
With the Indian Premier League 2009 having gone to South Africa, it is now left to sponsors to decide whether to stay on or to withdraw. Hero Honda Motors, the country’s largest two-wheeler maker,is said to be mulling over renegotiating the IPL contract with Delhi Daredevils following the venue switch.
According to Hero Honda top brass, the company would not look to scrap the contract altogether but talks with GMR has already begun. Talks were necessary after BCCI decided to shift the IPL 2009 venues from India to South Africa. The thought of having a rethink on sponsorship has come about now as Hero Honda as a group doesn’t have any opportunities in South Africa.
It may be recalled that the IPL Season 2 matches had to look for South African venues prompted by security reasons. South Africa was earlier chosen to host the second edition of the Indian Premier League which was shifted out of India due to security apprehensions. The decision to hold the lucrative tournament was taken after a meeting between IPL commissioner Lalit Modi and Cricket South Africa CEO Gerald Majola. The tournament will be held between April 18 and May 24, a delay of about one week from the original schedule.
Hero Honda has said that the relocation of the tournament doesn’t stand to benefit his company and also the future of the Indian Premier League. The reason being said is that when an IPL team plays at home, it evokes a lot of fan and team following. Now with an overseas venue coming into play, the case will be totally different.
Hero Honda in fact looks at continued participation but the gain it can expect is going to be minimal However, it said that it was still happy that the event was at least taking place amid fears of a possible cancellation.
Meanwhile, IPL Season 2will begin with an opening ceremony at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg. The stadium is also scheduled to host two semifinals.
This philosophy is rubbish. What do you think the ratings for these matches are going to be? Hero Honda gets a massive amount of impressions advertising from having that logo and name front and centre on the Daredevils jersey. It’s just that those eyes are television viewers instead of people in stadium.