Commonwealth Games sees sponsors trickle in

Sponsors for the Commonwealth Games 2010, to be held here this October, appear to be trickling in. 

While the Organising Committee has tied-up Coca-Cola India as the official beverage partner for the Games, it has also roped in public sector units like National Thermal Power Corporation, Air India, Indian Railways and Central Bank of India for sponsorship besides companies like Hero Honda. The OC is understood to be in advanced talks with other private players like Maruti, Samsung, LG, Adidas and Reebok too. 

The Committee has also raised $15 million (Rs 68 crore) through broadcasting rights and Prasar Bharti is the official broadcaster besides other rights holding broadcasters who will broadcast the Games in other countries. 

The Committee has to return Rs 1,620 crore that the Sports Ministry lent it with the help of sponsorships. But it is not disappointed with the results. “We are getting sponsors who are offering sponsorship in cash and kind, and most of them will come over the next few months. The inflow is very encouraging,” Lalit Bhanot, spokesperson for and secretary general of the Organising Committee told Business Standard.

The Committee has categorised its sponsors as lead partners who will get sponsorship worth Rs 100 crore each, partners who would get Rs 50 crore worth of sponsorships each, Rs 25 crore for the sponsors and around Rs 10 crore per partner. There will be two lead partners which the OC is yet to finalise. Besides, there can be 10 partners and 12 sponsors taking the total number to 24. 

However, the co-sponsor slot is still in the pipeline. “The co-sponsors category is being discussed but it is in the pipeline,” said an OC official. 

Meanwhile, Coca-Cola India, as the official beverage partner, will have its products like carbonated soft drink, water, juice and juice drinks exclusively sold to spectators and served to all the athletes, team officials and volunteers during the games which will be begin on October 3 and end on the October 14 this year. 

Category of sponsors	Sponsorship amount (Rs cr)	Numbers expected
Lead partner	100	2
Partner	50	10
Sponsor	25	12
Co-sponsor	<10	To be decided

The OC has also hired an international firm Sport Marketing and Management Private Limited (SMAM) with which it has a sponsorship and licensing technical services agreement. “SMAM is our marketing agent and will bring us services. They have worked in other Commonwealth Games too,” added Bhanot. 

“Though the OC believes that sponsorships will flow in the least six months and has partners like Steel Authority of India, besides Air India and others, we don’t see as many foreign sponsors coming in. Broadcasters are there but there are far too many promises of contracts. It is only after the Games are over that we’ll know the amount they return,” said a sports ministry official.