Chinese Firm Vivo To End 5-Year Pro Kabaddi Deal Worth Rs 300 Crores After Pulling Out As IPL 13 Title Sponsor: Sources

Vivo, the Chinese mobile manufacturing major, had also sponsored the last four seasons of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) before deciding to pull out in the fifth year. A formal release is expected within the next few days.

Vivo (Getty Image)

A day after Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Chinese firm Vivo parted ways to end their sponsorship agreement for IPL 2020 to be staged in United Arab Emirates, India's strong anti Chinese sentiment amid the stand-off with the Asian nation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh also resulted in Vivo opting out of sponsoring the Pro Kabaddi League, according to sources. Vivo, the Chinese mobile manufacturing major, had also sponsored the last four seasons of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) before deciding to pull out in the fifth year. A formal release is expected within the next few days. Star Sports had signed a title sponsorship contract with Vivo for the PKL for an estimated worth of Rs 60 crores per year and it remains to be seen what the tournament owners, Mashal Sports will do next. The 2020 edition of the Pro Kabaddi  league was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. While IPL has witnessed interests from Amazon, Coca Cola, Jio and Byjus to sponsor the flagship league, it remains to be seen how many corporate houses will line up for the Pro Kabaddi league which has surely caught the interest of millions of spectators across the nation but still has a long way to go before receiving the same viewership like the immensely popular cricket. There has been a nation wide anti-China sentiment in the country following the violent face-off between the Indian Army and Chinese (PLA) troops in the Galwan Valley sector of eastern Ladakh on June 15. 20 Indian Army personnel lost their lives in the barbaric clash, while China also acknowledged unspecified casualties.