VIVO replaces Pepsico as IPL title sponsors

• Following PepsiCo's pull out, Chinese mobile phone company VIVO has been named the new title sponsor for Indian Premier League for the next two years.
• It is being reported that VIVO was always the front-runner despite facing stiff competition from PAYTM, which is currently sponsoring the India-South Africa series.

After PepsiCo's controversial pull out from Indian Premier League (IPL) sponsorship, it was revealed during the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Working Committee meeting on Sunday, 18 October 2015, that Chinese mobile phone company VIVO has been named the new title sponsor for the cash-rich league for the next two years.

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It is being reported that VIVO was always the front-runner and despite facing stiff competition from PAYTM, which is currently sponsoring the India-South Africa series, the Chinese organisation was given the thumbs up. The terms and conditions will be similar to that of PepsiCo.

The BCCI meeting is still under way in Mumbai as it seeks clarity over a range of issues, the biggest being the fate of banned IPL teams Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals.

Indian Premier League, which has seen its image getting tarnished following the 2013 spot-fixing scandal, suffered a massive blow about two weeks back, with title sponsor PepsiCo expressing its intent to cut ties with the Indian cricket board.

The beverage giant had bagged the five-year IPL title sponsorship contract in 2012 by paying Rs 396 crore - almost double of what DLF had paid for the previous five-year period - and was said to be keen to pull out of the deal due to issues that have brought the game into 'disrepute'.