BCCI disallow cryptocurrency, betting and tobacco branding during WPL

The BCCI sent a 68-page advisory to the five teams ahead of the inaugural edition of the WPL, outlining what is and is not allowed for commercial associations and other sponsorships.

"No franchisee shall undertake a partnership or any kind of association with an entity that is in any way connected/related to an entity that is involved/operates, directly or indirectly, in the betting/gambling/real money gaming/tobacco sector," read an extract from the workbook.

"The franchisees may engage in partnerships with entities in the fantasy sports sector. No franchisee shall undertake a partnership or any kind of association with an entity that is in any way connected/related to an entity that is involved/operates, directly or indirectly, in the cryptocurrency sector."

"No franchisee shall engage with any entity that may utilize its association with a franchise (and consequently the WPL) to propagate surrogate advertisements (i.e., an advertisement that duplicates the brand image of one product to promote another product of the same brand) to promote any entity having any kind of association or operating/functioning in the non-permissible categories mentioned above.

"These guidelines form part of the WPL regulations and any breaches of these guidelines will be dealt with as per the provisions of section 6 of the operational rules. Any breaches of the clothing & equipment regulations will be dealt with as per the provisions of the disciplinary process.

"The franchisees should provide full details of the rights and benefits that will be utilized by their sponsors, not less than 10 days before the start of the season, as per the franchise commercial deliverables sheet, which will be shared by the BCCI."

The Women's Premier League is effectively the sister tournament of the Indian Premier League, which started in 2008. 

The first WPL will be played in March 2023. It will feature five teams. Several local and international stars were purchased during this week's player auction, including India's Smriti Mandhana. She was the most expensive buy at the auction, joining the Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 3.4 crores. 

England's Nat Sciver-Brunt (Mumbai Indians) and Australia's Ash Gardner (Gujarat Giants) were the most expensive foreign purchases at the auction. Sciver-Brunt went to the Mumbai Indians and Gardner the Gujarat Giants. They were bought for INR 3.2 crore each.