Bira 91 signs 5-year deal to sponsor ICC's global events; will pay $5-6 million a year

Indian beverage brand B9 Beverages, the maker of Bira 91 beer, on November 28 inked a 5-year agreement to officially sponsor global tournaments organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Bira 91 will now be the official sponsor of the ICC Cricket World Cup, ICC T20 World Cup, ICC World Test Championship, ICC U19 Cricket World Cup and the ICC Women's Championship, ICC said in a statement.

Read — India's Bira beer maker aims to go public in 3-5 years

ICC confirms @bira91 as the official sponsor of ICC global tournaments, including the ICC Cricket World Cup, ICC T20 World Cup, ICC World Test Championship, ICC U19 Cricket World Cup and the ICC Women’s Championship.https://t.co/IAVbozRzCr

— ICC Media (@ICCMediaComms) November 28, 2018

The brand will market its entire range of products at match venues and on all platforms, both broadcast and digital, on which ICC events are aired.

ICC is estimated to make $5-6 million a year through this sponsorship deal, according to a report by Mint. In comparison, its global partners, like car maker Nissan Motor, smartphone maker Oppo, MRF Tyres and Emirates Airlines, reportedly pay $6-8 million a year.

Read — Bira 91 eyes global expansion; to enter 5 new markets

"The ICC partnership is a key moment for Bira 91 as we embark on creating the first global consumer brand to come out of India. A generational 'change of guard' in beer is underway as consumers shift towards beers with more color and flavor," Ankur Jain, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at B9 Beverages, was quoted as saying in ICC's statement.

Jain also said that world cricket is undergoing a similar generational change as it expands to more dynamic formats, newer geographies, and consumers.

ICC, which has 104 member countries, has reportedly partnered with fintech firm Moneygram as its event partner, Swiss luxury watch brand Hublot as its timing partner, and Australian wine brand Wolf Blass as its official wine partner.

How Ankur Jain is making India pop the locally brewed Bira91

The intention behind signing sponsorship deals with new-age brands like Bira 91 and Moneygram is to make cricket more relevant for younger and new spectators, including women, Campbell Jamieson, General Manager (commercial) at ICC, said.

"As we started negotiating the agreement with Bira 91, the natural overlaps in their ambitions and ours became obvious. Cricket has more than one billion adult fans and is a natural partner for this ambitious brand. The ICC is delighted to welcome Bira 91 on-board as an official partner and into the world cricketing family, and we look forward to working together for the next five years to deliver a strong partnership at ICC global events," Jamieson said.

Premium beer maker Bira 91 is also looking to expand its global footprint by launching its products in five new markets including UK, Singapore and Hong Kong.