The partnership between New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and Dream11 will extend until 2026 after the two organisations put pen to paper on a bumper deal that looks set to serve both very well.
Dream11 initially partnered up with NZC towards the end of 2019 in a one-year deal that involved the Super Smash domestic Twenty20 tournament’s naming rights sponsorship. The partnership worked so well that both parties have agreed to extend it to 2026 and increase the scope of the deal.
The new partnership, which began in early 2021, will extend Dream11’s naming rights for the men’s and women’s Super Smash competitions and make the company an official partner to the Black Caps. That final point is a pertinent one. It will allow cricket fans to more easily engage with New Zealand cricket by creating their fantasy teams on Dream11, especially for supporters outside of the country.
“Our previous arrangement was a massive success, so it’s great to be announcing a deeper, long-term partnership with Dream11,” said NZC CEO David White. “One of NZC’s key objectives is to grow the game we love and India has always been an important market for us; no other country follows cricket like India. NZC has been expanding its commercial footprint outside New Zealand and this is a good example of the potential of our domestic products and the opportunities they offer.”
It makes sense for NZC to target the Indian market with cricket content via Dream11. The sport is next to religion in the country, and you would be hard-pressed to find a country with more passionate cricket fans than India. For those interested in the sport, many popular cricket betting apps such as bet365 and 10CRIC are featuring the best tips and odds on cricket.
“The current agreement builds on our previous partnership and takes it to the next level. We are equally excited to become an Official Partner of NZC and bring New Zealand’s unique cricketing experience to Dream11’s 100 million users,” added Dream11 CEO Vikrant Mudaliar. “We are confident that this will further drive interest and fan engagement for NZC matches among Indian sports fans.”
Equally, the deal makes plenty of sense for Dream11 as NZC boasts one of the stronger men’s teams in the game at the moment and is drawing plenty of attention online and in traditional media as a result. As a small nation, New Zealand has often adopted a “second favourite” team for fans of many other nations, and Dream11 will achieve global coverage in their partnership with New Zealand Cricket.
On top of its agreement with NZC, Dream11 is also the official fantasy sports partner of the International Cricket Council, Indian Premier League, Australia’s Big Bash League, and the NBA in America, among others, so they have their bases covered.
