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HomeNewsTrendsAdvertisingAfter IPL, Vivo to pull out of Pro Kabaddi League, Bigg Boss sponsorship: Report

After IPL, Vivo to pull out of Pro Kabaddi League, Bigg Boss sponsorship: Report

Vivo's PKL deal was worth Rs 60 crore per year while it paid Rs 30 crore to Colors channel for one season of Bigg Boss.

August 07, 2020 / 09:15 IST

After pulling out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) sponsorship deal for 2020, Chinese smartphone major Vivo will withdraw from two more title sponsorship deals - Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) and reality show Bigg Boss, which is expected to begin in October. While Vivo's PKL deal was worth Rs 60 crore per year, it paid Rs 30 crore to Colors channel for a season of Bigg Boss.

"Vivo has decided to lie low amid all the negative publicity the brand was generating since the India–China clash on the border. The company has decided to pull out of all the major deals, at least for this year. Vivo will now focus on selling products via more retail discount and commissions," a person involved with the deal told The Economic Times.

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"Vivo has informed Star India of its intention to terminate the deal," the source added.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

Vivo had a five-year deal with Star India, valued at around Rs 300 crore, for the PKL title sponsorship. The 2020 edition of the league was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Chinese phone maker had signed a two-year deal with Colors in 2019 for around Rs 60 crore. A new Bigg Boss season is expected to launch in October.

The anti-China sentiment in the country peaked after a violent face-off between the Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh. India lost 20 soldiers in the clash, while China also acknowledged unspecified casualties.

The stand-off at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) caused outrage across India with several calls for the boycott of Chinese companies and products.

After IPL 2020 was pushed to September, Vivo decided to sit out of the 13th edition of the IPL. This year's IPL will be held in UAE from September 19 to November 10.

Also read: IPL 2020: Vivo’s exit could see Star India take a Rs 250 crore hit; other Chinese brands may choose to lie low

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on August 6, issued a press release saying that Chinese handset major Vivo would not be associated with the Indian Premier League as the title sponsor for this year's edition.

"The BCCI and Vivo Mobile India Pvt Ltd have decided to suspend their partnership for Indian Premier League in 2020," the press release stated.

The company, on its part, stated that the association was being paused.

"BCCI and Vivo Mobile India Pvt Ltd have mutually decided to pause their partnership for the 2020 season of Indian Premier League," it stated.

BCCI was slated to earn Rs 440 crore from Vivo as a part of its sponsorship deal for the T20 tournament.

(With agency inputs)

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Moneycontrol News
first published: Aug 7, 2020 09:15 am

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