MUMBAI: Digital payments company Mastercard has signed up as one of International Cricket Council’s (ICC) top-tier sponsors for the 2023 World Cup in India, which will be held between October 5 and November 19. With this, Mastercard joins ICC’s other global partners MRF Tyres, Booking.com, Aramco and Emirates.
According to sources, a global partnership requires an investment of $10 million per year.
They said that since the World Cup is happening in India, the ICC is seeking a premium from brands even as the demand for big-ticket sponsorship assets remains tepid. The ICC has three categories of sponsors — global partners, official partners and category partners. Sponsors get multiple benefits like media integration, in-stadium branding, tickets and hospitality.
Mastercard chief marketing and communications officer Raja Rajamannar said the company will be spending a significant sum to get the right kind of visibility during the World Cup. Incidentally, Mastercard was also the title sponsor for all bilateral matches played in India until March.
