The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s finances have remained buoyant despite the exit of Dream11.
The board’s internal budget has treated the exit as a short-term commercial disruption rather than a structural threat.
“Notwithstanding the withdrawal of sponsors such as Dream11 and other entities affected by recent legislative changes, BCCI had successfully secured a new jersey sponsorship at a higher valuation for another two-and-a-half-year cycle,” a note, accessed by Cricbuzz, stated.
Dream11’s withdrawal followed legislative changes that impacted online gaming-linked brands, a sector that has been a major spender in Indian sports.
The BCCI’s position differs from most organisations because sponsorship represents only one part of a far broader revenue engine.
The value of its commercial inventory has allowed it to attract replacements even as uncertainty hit an entire category.
According to the note, the shortfall created by Dream11’s exit was offset through a new jersey arrangement at a higher valuation and reinforced through additional partnerships, including those with Adidas and Apollo Tyres.
The message is clear that sponsor churn is a manageable occurrence within a diversified portfolio rather than an existential concern for the board.
The budget projects BCCI’s total income for FY 2025-26 at Rs 8,963 crore, lower than the previous year.
This decline is attributed to a reduced share from ICC events, with softer receipts from global cricket’s central pool cited as the main reason for the year-on-year drop. The BCCI gets 38.5 per cent of the ICC income as its share.
Even with that reduction, the board’s financial cushion remains substantial. Interest income is estimated at Rs 1,500 crore, up from Rs 1,369 crore, underscoring the scale of BCCI’s reserves and the returns they generate through treasury management alone.
With four-figure crores earned without relying on matchday or sponsorship revenues, sponsor exits carried limited risk.
The note also pointed to the depth of BCCI’s accumulated strength. The general fund rose from Rs 7,9888 crore to Rs 11,346 crore in FY 2024-25, resulting in a surplus of Rs 6,728 crore.
This was achieved while earmarking Rs 500 crore for infrastructure subsidies, signalling that long-term development spending remains protected.
At the same time, the budget adopted a conservative posture. Provisions included Rs 3,320 crore for income tax, Rs 1,000 crore for contingencies and around Rs 160 crore for pending litigation costs.
The overall picture is of a board preparing for obligations and uncertainty while still projecting a significant surplus.