Brands
India-Sri Lanka test series net a bagful of ground & instadia sponsors
MUMBAI: The folks at India-based sports management firm ITW Consulting are sporting broad smiles on their faces. The reason: a clutch of brands has signed up as on-ground sponsors for the upcoming India vs Sri Lanka test series starting 26 July in the Emerald isle.
Among the brands which have come on board include: Seagrams Royal Stag Cricket Gear and Servo Lubricants as the title and powered by on-ground partner. The other key partners are Hero MotoCorp (HERO), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Kent RO Systems (KENT), Dalmia Cement Bharat Limited, MDH Limited, Syska and Byju’s Learning App.
“The response to this series from brands has been very positive given the unique mix of technology and innovation we are offering to elevate the brand association,“ says ITW Consulting Co-Founder Bhairav Shanth. “We will shortly announce the title partner for the ODI and T20 series.”
Adds ITW Consulting director M.S. Muralidharan: “At ITW, we have ensured that we bring in some latest and most innovative in-stadia technologies in cricket and other sports to ensure fans are engaged throughout the match with a crowd facing interactive display system.”
Cricket fans attending the matches during the tour will get to see the world’s largest high definition sight screen along with 100 per cent LED HD quality systems, and crowd facing LEDs allowing for fan engagement not experienced before.
The highlight of the ODI series is that the player of the series wins an Eicher Polaris Multix MS – BS IV vehicle.
Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India president distribution and sports business Rajesh Kaul highlights, “We have on-board some big brands as our advertisers. We aim to make the broadcast experience on the India Tour of Sri Lanka Test Series 2017 a memorable one.”
The 45-day long cricket extravaganza will reach a wide Indian, Sri Lankan and global audience cheering for the powerhouses and superstars of the likes of Angelo Mathews, Rangana Herath, Lasith Malinga as well as their Indian counterparts like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Ravi Ashwin amongst others. The series will be telecast by the official live broadcasting partner, SPN India on SONY SIX and SONY TEN 3 channels and will be livestreamed on SonyLIV. Scheduled to reach prime time audiences in India and Sri Lanka, the match preview, pitch report and toss will commence 30 minutes prior, followed by the match at 10:00 am IST for Tests, 2:30 pm IST for ODI’s and 7:00 pm IST for the T20.
ITW Consulting recently announced the acquisition of certain exclusive rights from SPN India the sole and exclusive media rights holder of the series. The deal with SPN involves title rights, on-ground and in-stadia advertising rights for all the cricket matches to be played during the series.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
