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The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a men’s Twenty20 cricket league founded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2007. The first edition of the IPL took place in 2008 and featured a total of eight teams.
The IPL, which is renowned as the lucrative and most popular cricket league globally, currently consists of ten state or city-based franchise teams. The tournament usually runs for two months during the summer, between March and May. Additionally, it has an exclusive slot in the ICC Future Tours Programme, as the number of international cricket tours will be reduced during its editions.
2025 Indian Premier League
The 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) will mark the 18th edition of the popular franchise T20 cricket tournament in India. A total of ten teams will compete in 84 matches in the upcoming season. The IPL 2025 will be held across 13 cities in India, with the Eden Garnes in Kolkata hosting the opening and the final matches.
Kolkata Knight Riders are the current IPL champions, who have clinched the trophy in 2024 after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final. Notably, this was the Kolkata-based franchise’s third IPL title. Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians are the most successful sides in the tournament, having won the title five times each.
IPL 2025 Broadcasting
Star Sports is the official TV broadcaster of the IPL 2025 season, while JioCinema is the official digital broadcaster.
Structure of IPL
The format of the IPL 2025 is the same as of the 2022 season unlike the changes seen in the 2023 edition. In the group stage, each team faces off twice against the teams in their own group, once against the team in the same position in the other group, and once against the remaining four teams in the other group.
Following the group stage, the first four teams based on aggregate points will get a spot in the playoffs. The playoffs consist of:
- Qualifier 1: The top two teams face each other and the winner advances directly to the final.
- Eliminator: The third-placed team plays against the team positioned fourth, with the loser being eliminated from the tournament.
- Qualifier 2: The loser of Qualifier 1 faces off against the winner of the Eliminator. The winner of this match secured a place in the summit clash.
The team that emerges victorious in the final will clinch the IPL 2025 trophy.
IPL’s title sponsorship
The Indian Premier League is popularly known as the cash-rich league, with each team investing approximately USD 2.5 million annually in player salaries and other expenses of the team. The tournament frequently welcomes new title sponsors, enriching its visibility and prominence. Initially, DLF served as the title sponsor and it has enhanced the company’s brand image significantly.
In 2022, TATA Group attained the title sponsorship rights of IPL, further firming the status of the tournament. TATA Group is India’s largest commercial conglomerate, with a turnover of USD 33 billion (INR. 1.8 trillion) in 2007, placing them among the top 10 international business groups. They enclose six major operating sectors- Automobiles, Hotels and Leisure Services, IT Services, Engineering and Construction, Telecommunications, and Financial Services.
The TATA Group acquired the title sponsorship rights in 2022 for approximately INR 355 crore per year. They took over as the IPL title sponsor after former sponsors Vivo withdrew their deal with the BCCI. TATA Group, which has held the title sponsorship rights for the IPL in 2022, 2023, and 2024, also sponsors the Women’s Premier League (WPL), the world’s largest women’s T20 league, which started in 2023.
IPL’s title sponsors for 2025 season
TATA Group
On January 20, 2024, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the TATA Group has secured the title sponsorship rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the next five years (2024-28). The Indian conglomerate renewed its association with BCCI at a record-breaking INR 2500 crore, marking the highest sponsorship amount in the history of the league. It is understood that the Indian cricket governing body has plans to expand the format of the tournament, adding 10 more matches to make it to 84 in 2025 and 2026, and to 94 in 2027, up from the current format which includes 74 matches.
Previous IPL title sponsors
1. DLF (2008 to 2012)
Delhi Land & Finance (DLF) acquired the Indian Premier League’s title sponsorship in the inaugural edition in 2008, taking over it from Sahara. It is a major real estate development firm and one of the largest diversified conglomerates in India. It was founded as a limited liability company in July 1945 and was initially focused on the infrastructure sector.
DLF has settled for a four-year deal and invested $100 million, marking one of the most expensive sponsorships in cricket history. Meanwhile, in 2012, the agreement was extended for an additional five years at a cost of $150 million, making it the most valuable IPL sponsorship thus far.
2. Pepsi (2013 to 2015)
Pepsi became the title sponsor of the IPL in 2013 after DLF opted not to renew its sponsorship. Pepsi, one of the leading soft drinks brands, secured the rights as the official drink sponsor from 2013 to 2015 with a bid of INR 396 crore for a five-year term. However, Pepsi quit the agreement a year earlier due to controversies surrounding spot-fixing in the league.
3. Vivo (2016 to 2020)
Vivo, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer, signed a two-year sponsorship deal with the BCCI in 2016, investing INR 100 crore. In 2018, they significantly increased the amount and subsequently secured a five-year extension for INR 2,199 crore. Notably, during their agreement the company paid approximately INR 439.8 crore annually. Meanwhile, amid the military standoff between India and China, they terminated the agreement ahead of the 2020 season.
4. Dream11 (2020)
Dream11, a fantasy game platform, acquired the sponsorship rights following Vivo’s withdrawal. They have offered INR 222 crores for the sponsorship in the 2020 season. Dream11, a startup with strong financial backing has made a significant impact with this role.
5. Vivo (2021)
Vivo made a return as IPL’s title sponsor in 2021, paying INR 439.8 crore for the remaining duration of their five-year deal, from 2018 to 2022. Despite the geopolitical concerns between India and China, Vivo remained committed to its sponsorship.
