The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has closed its doors to surrogate advertising. This is a significant move, as the PSL is one of the most popular sporting events in the country. Surrogate advertising is a form of advertising in which a company promotes one product or service by advertising another.
The Pakistan Super League (PSL 9) is putting a stop to surrogate advertising. In the upcoming year, no franchises will be allowed to engage in this practice. The decision will be officially communicated during the Lahore Governing Council meeting on Tuesday, where the venue and final dates for next year’s event will also be discussed.
Surrogate advertising started in Pakistani cricket a few years ago, as foreign companies sought to establish their presence by rebranding. Many of these companies used news coverage for this purpose. Surprisingly, despite media attention, authorities did not take any action.
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In PSL 8, a significant number of franchise sponsors were surrogate companies. The issue gained prominence when Multan Sultans’ captain, Mohammad Rizwan, covered his sponsor logos during a match.
Recently, the government imposed a complete ban on surrogate advertising. The PCB spokesperson mentioned that they received guidance but no specific directives and further discussions are needed. A new government notification with a zero-tolerance policy clarified the situation.
The upcoming PSL 9 Governing Council meeting in Lahore will address the matter of surrogate advertising. Franchises will be instructed to refrain from such practices based on government instructions, with a copy of the government notification sent to them.
Some franchises have already taken steps to comply, removing surrogate company logos from their social media posts. The meeting will also determine the venue and dates for the event, proposed to span from February 8 to March 24. Some franchises and board officials are leaning towards holding the event in the UAE due to general elections on February 8. The meeting on Tuesday will also cover the date for player drafts and discuss media rights.