PKL 2018 : The most unique sports sponsorship partnership of the year

The Pro Kabaddi League Season 6 is on its final bend. Like the previous seasons, the league in year 2018 also saw phenomenal sponsorship interests at both league level and for the team sponsorships. According to the InsideSport.co estimates, PKL this year has more then 70 brands on board collectively on central and team sponsorships.

The Central Sponsors

VIVO, Thums Up, Tata Motors, Bajaj Electricals, Dream 11, Gillete, Honda, RR Kabel, Ultratech, Britannia, Mcdowell’s & HDFC life

But surprisingly, keeping all of these central sponsorship deals aside – one brand which has created most unique partnership with PKL is not a central sponsor. This brand has taken unique route to leverage Pro Kabaddi League season 6.

The brand is Balakrishna Industries Limited for BKT Tires.

BKT Tires this season signed not one but partnership with 7 out of 12 PKL franchises. This multi-franchise sponsorship deal model is being exploited for the first time by any brand in the country on any property other then the IPL. The Indian Premier League in past has seen brands like Kingfisher & Reliance Jio taking the route of multi franchise sponsorship to leverage the property to maximum. Taking cue from that BKT Tires decided to leverage PKL via same model. The brand is seen as partner for seven marquee teams namely Patna Pirates, Puneri Paltan, Tamil Thalaivas, Telugu Titans, U.P. Yoddha, Bengaluru Bulls and Haryana Steelers for the ongoing season.

IMG-Reliance, BKT’s exclusive sports consulting agency in India, played a key role in identifying and forging strategic partnerships with these 7 teams.

Rajiv Poddar, Joint Managing Director, BKT Tires, said: “I am glad about this partnership since kabaddi has been one of the few sports which originated and evolved in our country. Being able to support some of the most competitive kabaddi teams in the country makes us proud.”

With this partnership, the tyre maker is aiming to not only support and sustain kabaddi to see talent grow but also help populate the sport through its market reach in the Indian heartland.

Other then this BKT also announced one other big sponsorship deal in 2018. The company to expand and promote its European business signed deal with  Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), the organising body of major professional football leagues in France, as the title sponsor of Coupe de La Liga.

Coupe de la Ligue is a premier French League Cup knockout cup competition organized by LFP. Established in 1994, the tournament is only open to professional clubs in France which play in country’s top three football divisions. BKT, a manufacturer of off-road tyres used in specialist segments like mining, earthmoving, agriculture and gardening, will be the Coupe de la Ligue’s title sponsor for the next six seasons until 2024.

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from InsideSport http://bit.ly/2AjG1VY