By Admin 
IPL 2026: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a big and blockbuster sponsorship deal before IPL 2026. Google’s AI platform Gemini has signed a three-year agreement with BCCI, the total value of which is said to be around Rs 270 crore. This means that under this deal BCCI will earn approximately Rs 90 crore every year.
Confirming the deal while talking to PTI, a BCCI official said that this agreement is for three years and this has further strengthened the global brand value of IPL. IPL has already become the most expensive and popular T20 league in the world and now the entry of AI companies in it has given it a new dimension.
AI companies’ increasing interest in cricket
This sponsorship deal of Gemini shows that the connection between cricket and Artificial Intelligence is continuously getting stronger in India. Earlier, Google’s rival AI platform ChatGPT was made the sponsor of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). This means that now AI companies have registered their presence in both the men’s and women’s major T20 leagues of India.
When ChatGPT’s partnership with WPL was announced, BCCI Secretary Devjit Saikia had said that the association of such global tech brands will improve the fan experience and also strengthen women’s cricket.
Popularity of AI platforms even among common users
AI platforms like Gemini and ChatGPT are not limited to just professional work in India today, but common people are also using them on a large scale. These platforms are becoming very important in terms of cricket analysis, content creation and digital experience. This is the reason why these companies are ready to spend huge amounts of money to increase their reach among Indian cricket fans.
When will IPL 2026 start?
IPL 2026 will start after the end of T20 World Cup 2026. This World Cup will be played in India and Sri Lanka from 7 February to 8 March. After that IPL 2026 matches will be played from March 26. Its final match will be played on 31 May. However, the complete schedule has not been revealed yet. It is believed that its official announcement may be made in February.