The sponsorship jinx: Why brands on Team India's jersey turn to dust?

We’ve all heard the story of King Midas — everything he touched turned to gold. Brands sponsoring the Indian cricket team often treat the BCCI as Midas, convinced their value will go up like bullion the moment they collapse in the Board’s arms. But most of them end up as dust, for reasons beyond cricket.

The Indian cricket team isn’t just a sports brand; it’s a religion. Millions tune in, emotions run wild, and the nation bleeds blue. At first glance, becoming the jersey sponsor of Team India seems like the biggest marketing jackpot in the country.

The Bollywood Parallel

For a company, getting its logo plastered across that jersey means instant stardom, much like casting a Bollywood superstar in your movie. The hype is guaranteed, the attention unmatched, and the perceived prestige sky high.

But here’s where the tragedy begins. Just as Bollywood producers have learnt the hard way that signing a superstar doesn't guarantee a blockbuster anymore, brands backing the BCCI often find luck turning against them, for reasons other than cricket.

Think of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, or Aamir Khan — once synonymous with certain success. Yet in recent years, their films have stumbled: Aamir’s Thugs of Hindostan and Laal Singh Chaddha tanked, Shah Rukh faced a rough patch with Zero and Fan before Pathaan redeemed him, while Salman’s big-ticket entertainers like Tubelight and Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan fell flat.

The reminder? Stardom guarantees attention, not success.

Enter the Jinx

History shows the same script repeating with Indian cricket jersey sponsors. Aspiring brands come in with huge fanfare, splashy announcements, and sky-high deals. They become the ‘stars’ on the Indian cricket jersey, basking in the national spotlight. But too often it ends in turbulence.

On August 21, the Indian government passed the Online Gaming Bill, cutting down the wings of the current India jersey sponsor Dream11. The bill came as a major blow to the firm, which enjoys the king's share of India’s $3.8 billion gaming industry.

Dream11 — valued at $8 billion — is likely to take a major hit with the government banning online money gaming apps to deal with “serious social and public health issues like addiction.”

If Dream11 is forced to cut down its operations, it would surely struggle to keep up with its Rs 358 crore deal with the BCCI, a three-year tenure that ends in March 2026, right after the T20 World Cup 2026.

Dream11 is not the only brand whose fortunes have suffered after getting involved with the BCCI.

• Sahara sparkled with grandeur in 2001, but by 2011 it collapsed under the SEBI heat. Its founder even ended up in jail.
• Star India, the broadcasting titan, rode high from 2014 to 2017, only to get entangled in antitrust probes and financial pressures that eroded its dominance.
• Oppo, a Chinese phone giant, quit amid geopolitical tensions — collateral in the India-China fallout.
• Byju’s, once India’s most celebrated edtech unicorn, grabbed the jersey and even FIFA sponsorships, only to be dragged down by debt, default, and eventual bankruptcy.

The High-Stakes Gamble

What emerges is a clear pattern: BCCI sponsorship is a blockbuster gamble. The brand gets chasing lights, red carpets, and nationwide visibility. But more often than not, the limelight exposes cracks: financial instability, regulatory hurdles, or overextension.

To call the alliance unlucky would be an understatement. It’s almost like the cricket board attracts like Midas, but the brand ends up with a curse. The glitz attracts brands in droves, but too often those partnerships end in spectacular downfalls.

The Show Must Go On

For the BCCI, the challenge is to find a sponsor that can withstand this relentless glare. For brands, the lesson is simple: don’t be fooled by the shine. Visibility is guaranteed — but whether it turns into lasting success is an entirely different game.

After all, as both Bollywood and Indian cricket remind us: blockbusters may flop, sponsors may fall, but the show always goes on. And so will the quest for the perfect sponsor who can deliver a hit, on and off the pitch.