Mastercard, a multinational financial services corporation based in the United States, has replaced BharatPe as the global sponsor of the International Cricket Council (ICC). BharatPe, a startup that provides lending and digital payment services, had been the global sponsor since June 7, 2021, until the end of 2023. However, Mastercard has now taken over this sponsorship position.
Mastercard has been actively seeking lucrative sponsorship deals, and it had previously expressed interest in the Indian Premier League (IPL) before the 2022 edition. However, the category was taken over by RuPay. Nonetheless, Mastercard has secured the title sponsorship rights for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) international and domestic home fixtures from Paytm.
As part of its partnership with the ICC, BharatPe had the opportunity to promote its buy now pay later brand, postpe, at all ICC events between the World Test Championship 2021 and the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023. BharatPe had blocked the sponsorship category of banking and wallet.
Facing setbacks and looking to reduce its advertising expenses, BharatPe is seeking to end its partnership with the ICC. Sources from SportsMint have revealed that Mastercard has already secured a deal with the ICC to take BharatPe’s place as a sponsor.
The agreement between Mastercard and the ICC is a multi-year partnership that grants Mastercard prominent on-screen and in-venue branding opportunities. This includes having their logo displayed in 3D on the field and on LED advertising boards near the boundary rope. Additionally, Mastercard will have the opportunity to create exclusive experiences for its customers during the upcoming ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 in India.
