In one of the latest news from the Indian Premier League arena, Dr. Vijay Mallaya’s Kingfisher bagged the rights to sponsor all the third umpire decisions and has become an official umpire partner for all the 59 matches to be  player.Kingfisher bagged these rights by paying Rs 106 crore.

“Kingfisher Airlines has had a long association with a variety of sports at both the domestic and international levels including Tennis, Formula 1, Polo and now cricket. Their decision bears testimony to the fact that the DLF Indian Premier League is here to stay, and is set to carve out a distinct niche for itself in the international cricket calendar,” said Lalit Modi, chairman and commissioner, DLF Indian Premier League.

As per the agreement, Kingfisher Airlines will receive branding on the umpires’ uniform including their shirts and hats during the tournament along with several other activation opportunities around the property.

Vijay Mallya, chairman & CEO, Kingfisher Airlines, said: We are delighted to extend our partnership with the DLF Indian Premier League with Kingfisher Airlines coming in as the official umpire partner. Our five-year association with the DLF Indian Premier League is further testimony to our commitment to building the Kingfisher Airlines brand through sports. The DLF Indian Premier League is a highly innovative concept and the Twenty20 format will undoubtedly take cricket’s popularity to a new high. Kingfisher Airlines will present the DLF IPL umpires in a completely new and modern style while retaining their critical role in the sport.”

The first match will be played between Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders and Vijay Mallya’s Royal Challengers of Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.