The apex body of cricket in England and Wales, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has partnered with RISE Worldwide to offer unique digital and virtual inventory sponsorships in India for the forthcoming series in England.
This collaboration exemplifies RISE’s commitment to creating innovative virtual sports experiences.
The series that comes under this cooperation are five ODIs and three T20s between England and Australia in 2024, five Tests between India and England in 2025, and three ODIs and five T20s between England and India in 2026.
This collaboration highlights the possibilities of virtual inventory and leverages RISE’s sports presence to engage English cricket fans throughout the area. Brands can now engage closely with Indian audiences, gaining more visibility and forming meaningful connections.
Tony Singh, ECB’s Chief Commercial Officer, said, “The market in India presents huge opportunities and we are excited to explore unique digital and virtual sponsorship sales in the country with RISE. By combining our expertise, we are looking forward to unlocking innovative opportunities for brands to interact with India’s passionate cricketing fan base.”
Nikhil Bardia, Head of RISE Worldwide, said, “Given our expertise in enabling strong brand properties through impactful interventions, the growth of digital and virtual inventory is the next step to build more value. We are committed to identifying customized avenues tailored to ECB’s brand partners to engage with their target demographics in India. The association also enables us to push the boundaries of possibility, and deliver unparalleled value to fans and sponsors alike.”
RISE will also assist ECB by providing advanced virtual inventory solutions for seamlessly incorporating branded content into virtual sports environments, hence catering to viewers with appropriate brands in India.
This contract comes after RISE Worldwide brokered deals worth INR 300 crore in team partnerships, comprising five coveted front-of-jersey deals along with over 50 brand collaborations for the current IPL season.
Additionally, RISE Worldwide and Cricket Australia (CA) announced a four-year relationship in December 2023 that would run from the 2023–24 season to the 2026–27 season.