Sri Lanka open bidding for team-sponsorship rights

Sri Lanka Cricket has opened the bidding for its team-sponsorship rights for a three-year period starting on April 2005. The current team sponsor's deal, won by Dilmah Tea in 2002, expires at the end of March, and the board is hoping for a record deal.

Dilmah paid just over US$3million for a three-year period, and the board is hopeful that this can be bettered, because a series of high-profile tours is coming up - including four different series with India, two tours each with England and Australia, plus the 2006 Champions Trophy and the World Cup in 2007.

The bidding process has started: bids have to be delivered by 5pm on February 15. For the first time the board is offering the option of different team sponsors for home and away tours, following the example of Australia who are sponsored by Travelex abroad and by 3 phones at home.

The successful sponsor will be guaranteed branding on all clothing, advertising properties in home grounds, use of Sri Lanka Cricket and player images, various off-field promotional opportunities, and space within home stadiums for corporate entertainment.

Sri Lanka Cricket signed a record $50million television deal earlier in the year with Taj Television, the Dubai-based owners of TEN Sports, an agreement which alleviated a potential cash crisis because of a still-unresolved TV-rights dispute with WSG Nimbus dating back to 2001.