The Indian Premier League keeps getting bigger in brand value with every passing season. As per latest reports, the tournament's global appeal is set to go up a few more notches. The IPL has signed a three-year partnership deal with Google Gemini that is reportedly worth Rs 270 crore.
The deal will be active from IPL 2026 and will end after IPL 2028. For those unaware, Gemini's rival ChatGPT already entered Indian cricket by inking a two-year deal with the Women's Premier League. That deal, worth Rs 16 crore, is till the end of the 2027 season. The advent of these two AI-led brands marks a significant change in the marketing trends of Indian cricket.
This trend is an attempt from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to neutralize the immense financial loss incurred due to the ban on Real Money Gaming which was implemented in August 2025. Financial sources allege that a total of Rs 7000 crore went out of the market instantly after the ban came into effect.
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The ban had also affected BCCI directly as the then main sponsor was Dream11 who ruled the roost in the fantasy gaming market. Before the ba, fantasy gaming organizations had thrived and taken sponsorships at different. With AI making rapid advancements across various fields, cricket advertising isn't far behind.
According to sources, an estimate ranging from Rs 300 to 400 crore is expected to be spent from AI brands in cricket advertising alone. In such a scenario, the partnership deals in IPL and WPL are touted to be potential ground-breakers for the industry.