BCCI Secures ₹270 Crore AI Sponsorship Deal for IPL Ahead of 2026 Season

Ahead of the IPL 2026 season, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has secured a major sponsorship deal worth ₹270 crore, marking a significant shift in Indian sports advertising. For the first time, an artificial intelligence (AI) platform has joined the Indian Premier League as a sponsor, highlighting the growing role of AI companies in high-profile cricket partnerships.

Google’s Gemini Joins IPL as AI Sponsor

According to reports, Google’s AI platform Gemini has entered into a three-year sponsorship agreement worth nearly ₹270 crore with the IPL. While the exact commercial terms of the deal have not been disclosed, the partnership is expected to give Gemini extensive brand visibility across IPL properties.

This is likely to include:

• Pitch-side advertising hoardings

• Media backdrops

• On-ground and broadcast branding placements

The deal reflects the increasing presence of AI companies in Indian cricket sponsorships, a space traditionally dominated by tyre manufacturers, beverage brands, and fantasy gaming platforms.

ChatGPT Had Entered Cricket Advertising Earlier

The Gemini partnership follows the entry of ChatGPT into cricket advertising towards the end of last year. ChatGPT became a sponsor of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) under a two-year deal worth approximately ₹16 crore.

Interest in women’s cricket has grown significantly after India’s recent Women’s Cricket World Cup victory, making women’s matches more attractive for brands seeking fast-growing and highly engaged audiences.

Notably, Gemini was also a global partner for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, further strengthening its association with international cricket.

AI Brands Competing With Established Sponsors

AI platforms are increasingly competing with well-known companies for premium cricket sponsorships. In 2024, design platform Canva placed a bid of ₹554 crore for BCCI’s shirt sponsorship rights.

However, Canva lost the race to Apollo Tyres, which secured the sponsorship for the 2025–2028 cycle with a winning bid of ₹579 crore.

IPL’s Record-Breaking Viewership Attracts New Advertisers

The IPL continues to be one of the most powerful advertising platforms in the world. During the IPL 2025 season, the tournament reached close to one billion viewers across television and digital platforms.

Some reports estimate the total cumulative viewership at around 1.19 billion, making it one of the most-watched seasons in IPL history.

As spending from traditional high-budget advertising categories has slowed, AI platforms are increasingly stepping in to fill the gap, similar to the role once played by fantasy sports companies.

Government Ban Changed the Advertising Landscape

The shift toward AI-driven sponsorships follows a major regulatory change. After the government banned real-money gaming and fantasy sports, an estimated ₹7,000 crore in advertising spend was wiped out from the market.

This had a significant impact on:

• Television sports advertising

• Digital cricket sponsorships

With India viewed as a key growth market, AI platforms are now turning to cricket to reach mass audiences, drive user engagement, and build brand recall at scale.