MPL to Sponsor Knight Riders for IPL and CPL

Mobile Premier League (MPL), leading mobile gaming and esports platform, has signed an agreement to be the principal sponsor for Shah Rukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders and Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR), as per a statement issued by the platform.

MPL will be the official sponsor for the Knight Riders franchise for Indian Premier League (IPL) and Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

CPL is scheduled to be held in Trinidad from 18th August to 10th September, 2020. The league will host six teams including the Trinbago Knight Riders, which has been three-time champions in the league. Indian Premier League is scheduled to be held in UAE from 19th September to 10th November, 2020.

Earlier, edtech company Byju’s had signed to be the principal sponsor of KKR for IPL 2020, but as the league was moved to UAE and rescheduled for September, Byju’s pulled out of the deal.

As per a report in The Hindu Business Line, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Knight Riders, Venky Mysore said, “Our partnership across KKR in IPL and TKR in CPL, will create new opportunities to socialise and activate our partnership.”

Commenting on the association, Abhishek Madhavan, VP, Growth and Marketing, MPL, said, “we are excited to be the principal sponsors for Kolkata Knight Riders. The team has been a household name right from the start and have won the prestigious IPL championship twice. It is the perfect marriage that will help us take our brand to more users. With Trinbago Knight Riders, one of the strongest teams, having won the CPL Championship three times, as its sister franchise, this association will help us take MPL to the international sports arena.”

Among other marketing efforts of MPL, it recently debuted its new television commercials, featuring the Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli, as part of the brand's 'Har Game Mein Jeeto' campaign.