MAM
CSK eyes 15-20 per cent revenue growth from IPL 6
MUMBAI: The economic slowdown notwithstanding, the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is eyeing a revenue growth of 15-20 per cent.
The franchise has a roster of 16 sponsors which includes Nissan and VGN who came on-board this year.
“We expect revenue growth of 15-20 per cent led to an extent by sponsorship. We have a roster of 16 sponsors this year,” says India Cements joint president marketing Rakesh Singh.
Apart from KKR, CSK has been the only franchise whose lead sponsor Aircel has continued with the team since the inception of IPL. The franchise had also de-risked itself from slowdown by doing long-term deals.
“The good news for us is that brands have stayed on with us through the years. Aircel has been there with us from day one. Deals that we do are generally for three years and after that they get renewed,” avers Singh.
Singh adds that local sponsorship and central revenue put together account for 75-80 per cent of CSK‘s total revenue which last year was said to be around Rs. 1.5 billion.
“Ticket sales account for 15-20 per cent. This year there will be more seating as three more stands have opened. So there is more capacity which we expect will lead to more revenue. Licensing and merchandising accounts for around five per cent but we expect this area to grow by 30-35 per cent for us this season as we are being more aggressive on this front,” reveals Singh.
The franchise has launched cricket kits this year. The main focus is Tamil Nadu. The team has tied up with Switcher, a European company owned by Tirupur-based PGC for merchandise.
The cricket gear for all age groups will be available from 15 April. These kits will include kit bags, batting gloves, leg-guard, thigh-guard, arm pad, abdomen guard and English willow bats will be sold through retail sports stores, gift shops and whole sale stores in Tamil Nadu ranging from Rs. 3800 to Rs 9900.
CSK has also launching their new range of merchandise strategically dividing them into categories such as fan gear and fashion wear. The new range includes school bags, sippers, and key chains along with a variety of home, office products and other accessories.
“Our aim is that at least every second month there should be an activity. The Chennai Super Kings cannot be just about two months. So we do things across the year that touches different segments of society,” adds Singh.
As part of its on-ground activities, CSK had organised a multi discipline tournament called Super Cup before the IPL involving corporates. The franchise had also organised a cricket event with schools a few months to find a CSK junior team. It had also associated with a chess tourney as the game is very popular in Tamil Nadu.
“We feel that it is important that when the CSK brand engages with constituents it should not be only about cricket. This way CSK will be built as a sports brand,” explains Singh.
For fans, there is a loyalty programme called Kings Club which has an estimated 18,000 paid members. They get to avail of special offers like meet and greet events with players, match tickets etc.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
