Dura Cement replaces Kingfisher as RCB’s sponsor for IPL 2018

There will be a major change for RCB fans this year, as the Kingfisher logo will no longer appear on the back of RCB shirts in this year’s IPL.

That is because RCB and Kingfisher have parted ways after a successful 10-year association, and will be replaced by Dura Cement.

Back in 2008, Vijay Mallya was one of the most successful businessmen in the world, and bought the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise.

Kingfisher was one of the biggest brands under the Under Breweries conglomerate, of which Vijay Mallya was the chairman. Mallya was a key figure during the initial years of the league, as he was often seen during matches and was an integral member of the RCB support team on the sidelines.

But Mallya left the country in 2016, rather than face legal action against Indian banks to whom he owed close to Rs 9000 crores. Since then, Mallya has stayed away from RCB affairs, as he had tried to distance himself completely from the franchise.

RCB are one of the most iconic teams in IPL history, and remains a huge brand in the country. With Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in their team, the Bengaluru franchise is not short of star power, making it an extremely attractive brand for corporates to get on board.

Virat Kohli himself is one of the biggest brands in the country, and quickly gaining ground on some of the biggest sports persons in the world.

Last year, Kohli signed a multi million deal with both PUMA and MRF tyres in relative succession. These two deals have now sky rocketed Kohli’s brand value to somewhere close to $120 million, putting him alongside some of the biggest sporting athletes in the world.

Let’s see if Dura Cements will change RCB’s luck, that will finally see them lift the trophy!