Top 6 Facts About BCCI You Probably Don’t Know

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Originally established around 97 years ago in 1928, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is hailed as the principal national governing body of cricket in India and is often referred to as the wealthiest cricket governing body in the world with an operating income of an estimated 18,700 crore (US$2.2 billion) (FY 2023-24).

Currently sponsored by industry giants including Dream11, Adidas, IDFC First Bank, SBI Life, Campa Cola, JioCinema and Atomberg Technologies, the BCCI is headquartered at the Cricket Centre in Churchgate, Mumbai. While the BCCI has been the cornerstone of Indian cricket for the past ninety-five years, most cricket aficionados still don’t know about a lot of interesting facts that rule one of the most prominent cricket governing bodies in the world.

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In this article we will take a look at the top six most interesting and unknown facts that rule the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Top 6 Facts About BCCI You Probably Don’t Know

• The Logo of BCCI is Inspired from the Colonial Era

A majority of the hardcore Indian cricket fans are not aware of the fact that the logo of the Board of Control for Cricket in India is deeply inspired by the colonial era and has a great resemblance to the “order of the stars of India”, the British Raj emblem during the colonial period.

It was originally started in 1861 by Queen Victoria in order to please the royal kings and princesses of India during the War of 1857. Although the British Raj ended decades ago, the BCCI is still hooked to the same logo inspired by the British Raj. The decision of the BCCI has also been brutally criticised by numerous politicians and intellectuals over the years.

• BCCI Annual Rent for Government Stadiums in India

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) pays a very nominal annual rent to conduct matches at government stadiums across the country. As per reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India pays around INR 10–15 Lakhs to conduct Indian Premier League (IPL) matches at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata and Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, and pays even lower rent for smaller stadiums. The Indian government promptly supports the Board of Control for Cricket in India and all the ground initiatives that it takes to support the raw cricket talent of the country.

• BCCI is an Independent Governing Body

Contrary to the majority of cricket governing bodies in the world, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is an independent cricket governing body and is nowhere dependent on the Indian government for its funding or finances in any way whatsoever.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India majorly generates its funding through title sponsors like Paytm, Dream11 and BYJUS, ground sponsorships, team sponsorships like Nike and through television and digital broadcasting.

Additionally, the Board of Control for Cricket in India also generates substantial revenue from ticket sales for domestic and international tournaments like the Ranji Trophy, Mushtaq Ali Trophy, IPL, Champions Trophy and T20 World Cup. Furthermore, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also exempted from making their balance sheets public.

• BCCI’s Role in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC)

In addition to being the world’s wealthiest cricket governing body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has also played a major role as an active member of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), which is responsible for ensuring the smooth functioning of cricketing developmental programs across Asia.

Recently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India assisted the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and provided them with enormous aid when they were at the edge of bankruptcy. In addition to financial aid, with bilateral series and tournaments, BCCI ensured that the Bangladesh cricket team could play in a well-fostered environment.

• BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit

In order to avoid the unfortunate disgraceful cases of match-fixing and bribe-taking, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has designed its own special unit of anti-corruption that is considered to be responsible for overseeing and preventing all the illegal practices, including betting, spot-fixing and match-fixing in cricket within the national territory of India. The BCCI’s anti-corruption unit has been headed by Shabir Hussain since April 2021.

• BCCI’s Exemption From The Right To Information (RTI) Act

As mentioned earlier, the Board of Control for Cricket in India  is an independent cricket governing body registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act (1975) and not officially recognized as a “public authority” under the Right to Information (RTI) Act (2005). The Board of Control for Cricket in India is therefore not liable or legally obligated to disclose its financial dealings, decision-making processes, or administrative details.

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