Coca-Cola Identifies India As Key Cricket Market

Coca-Cola has "charted out enormous plans to explore cricket after a self-imposed hiatus of two decades," according to Kunal Dhyani of INSIDE SPORT. India and the Indian sub-continent "are the key targeted markets" for Rs500-crore ($75.2M) investments in cricket. The majority of the "cricket budget" is committed to the ICC global partnership for the "exclusive non-alcoholic beverage partner" rights and the '19 Indian Premier League broadcast sponsorship on Star Sports. Through its India arm, Coca-Cola "is also focusing on exploring on-ground and team sponsorship opportunities in the IPL." The company "is engaged in talks" with several IPL franchisees to promote the Coca-Cola and Thums Up brands during the season. The cricket investment "is primarily aimed at targeting the Indian subcontinent market." The IPL investment, according to market sources, will go beyond the Rs135 crore ($20.3M) committed to Star Sports as the on-air co-presenting sponsors for the '19 IPL season (INSIDE SPORT, 2/13).