World Of Tourism

Sahara Group, the bid telecom giants Bharti Airtel and Reliance to bag Team India backing again. They have won backing rights to a staggering price of Rs 3.34 crore per match. The agreement will carry on until 31 December 2013.

According to sources in the Indian cricket board (BCCI), the two groups have submitted eligibility documents and the security deposit on Saturday.

Your bid will be obtainable on Monday and then BCCI's marketing committee will decide on the new sponsor for Team India.

Sources said Sahara will bid only for the Indian team, while Bharti will bid for the Indian team (base price of Rs 2.5 crore per match), India-A team (base price: RS 25 lakh per game), under-19 teams (base price: RS 25 lakh per game) and women teams (base price: RS 10 lakh per match).

Bharti, however, seems to have a problem at hand. If it wins the bid, it will not show his Airtel logo under the ICC events because of a conflict of interest - Reliance is one of the ICC sponsors.

Reliance contract with the ICC ends in 2015, while the Indian team's logo backing expires 31 December 2014. Over the next three and half years, the Indian team to play in three tournaments ICC - 2011 World Cup, T20 Championship in 2012 and 2013 Champions Trophy.

But BCCI officials were quick to clarify.

"If there is a conflict of interest, Bharti will have to use the logo for any other product from the stable of ICC events," a top BCCI bureaucrat told Toi.

With its clear Sahara nearing completion next month, the BCCI days invited bids from companies through a loving notice to sponsor four Indian squads counting the much coveted buts's outfit. The tender notice issue by BCCI secretary N Srinivasan, called for company to bid for sponsorship of buts, women-specific, India A and India under 19 team, giving the ID will be available from May 24 to a throwaway payment of Rs 5 lakh.

It said all providers must meet the criterion set by the Board and other supplies as specified in the bid document. Compliance of tenders must be made and outlined circumstances, the Board also reserved the right "to cancel or modify the procurement process at any time and to refuse any and / or all bids without charitable any reason, including calling for a re-bid.

'BCCI' accord with the current sponsors Sahara is set to come to an end next month. Sahara, which has support the Indian team for several years as its main sponsor recently bid productively for the new Pune IPL franchise for a astounding Rs 1,700 crore.

Sahara will review its backing of Indian cricket team, group chief Subroto Roy said after charming the IPL permit bids on March 23. Sahara had bagged the backing of the Indian cricket team for Rs 400 crore for a four-year period ended December 2009, and had agreed to carry on for six months, the BCCI could not find any sponsor.