The BCCI said on Friday it will address the concerns raised by Pepsi, the title sponsor of its flagship tournament, the Indian Premier League (IPL) but Pepsi is not amused. It’s notice to the Board, laid bare by The Indian Express, has a tone that is sharp and unambiguous.
In its notice to the board, which The Indian Express has examined, PepsiCo says: “BCCI failed to act in a fair and transparent manner to prevent or take corrective measures in respect of such sporting frauds.”
The BCCI on Friday sought to downplay PepsiCo’s decision to distance itself from the IPL, but the beverage giant’s termination notice squarely blames the cricket board for breaching the contract for title sponsorship by failing to keep the sport clean. Read the full report from The Indian Express here.
The company has reportedly sent a notice saying the decision was because of the issues that have brought the game into “disrepute”. The controversy-ridden IPL hit a new low when the Supreme Court recommended suspending Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings for two years following an investigation into a betting and spot-fixing scandal. You can see the Justice Lodha report on the IPL spot fixing scandal here.
Pepsi paid around Rs.396 crore in 2012 for the title sponsorship for a five-year period between 2013 and 2017.
“BCCI and Pepsico have had a long-standing cordial relationship. Pepsico has raised certain concerns with the BCCI. We have assured that steps will be taken to address the concerns and will work necessary solutions in the interests of the league as well as Pepsico.”
A day after The Indian Express first reported on the pullout, the BCCI and PepsiCo said in a joint statement that they were engaged in “amicable discussions” and “working towards solutions in the interests of the league”.