Reports: PCB chief reaches out to BCCI over sponsors, broadcasters concerns of Asia Cup
ACC is likely to host the Asia Cup in the second week of September in the UAE.
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With the 2025 Asia Cup just two months away, there are still questions around Team India’s participation. Notably, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), headed by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, has written to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over concerns from sponsors and broadcasters, urging for clarity on India’s finalization of the tournament schedule.
The ACC, in its communication to the BCCI, has conveyed the pressure from its media and sponsorship partners due to the lack of clarity on the Men in Blue's participation. As reported by Times Now, the ACC mentioned that this uncertainty is significantly impacting the partners’ ability to plan, allocate resources, and roll out campaigns effectively.
"We have been informed that in the absence of this information, their ability to plan effectively, allocate resources, and execute their campaigns is significantly constrained. In addition, to highlighting the challenges being faced by them, the media rights partner has highlighted obligations under the Agreement which commence 60 and 90 days prior to the commencement of the 2025 Tournament. Our sponsorship rights partner, TCM, have outlined the commercial concerns associated, particularly in terms of timelines required for effective monetization and activation planning," ACC wrote in its letter to the BCCI, as per a report in Times Now.
Reports: Asia Cup 2025 set to begin on September 5
Further delays may pose the risk of our partners claiming breaches: ACC
Both Sony (broadcast partner) and TCM (sponsorship partner) have expressed that delays may result in missed commercial opportunities, especially given the closeness to other major ICC and international events. The letter further warned that prolonged delays could be seen as a breach of agreement terms and may even lead to financial claims or demands for discounts.
"In addition, given the proximity of other major ICC and international events, both Sony and TCM have raised concerns that further delays could result in missed commercial opportunities that may not be recoverable due to existing scheduling and lead-time limitations. In light of this, and importantly, with fixtures for other major tournaments now confirmed, we are hoping to alleviate the concerns of our rights holders finalize the Asia Cup fixtures within this week. This is especially important for the ACC as the Men's Asia Cup is the main source of income for the organization. We believe that further delays may pose the risk of our partners claiming breaches of Agreement and seeking discount," the letter added.
Meanwhile, the BCCI could respond as early as next week. A promo for the Asia Cup aired during the broadcast of the India vs England Test recently, but lacked venue or date confirmation. Originally set to be hosted by India, the Asia Cup 2025 is now expected to be held in the UAE following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and India's subsequent retaliation through Operation Sindoor, which strained Indo-Pak relations.
According to The Times of India, the Asia Cup is likely to kick off on September 5, with the India vs Pakistan clash set to take place on September 7. If both teams qualify for the Super Four stage, they may meet again on September 14, and potentially a third time in the final on September 21. The tournament will follow the same T20 format and structure used in 2022 and 2023.
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