System in place to protect sponsors from ambush marketing: ICC

The council also said it has seen a substantial increase in the total sponsorship revenues for the upcoming mega cricket event to be held in the Indian subcontinent, compared to the one held in West Indies four years ago.

"The stating point is that we will do everything necessary to protect rights of our commercial partners," (ICC) CEO Haroon Lorgat told reporters while stating ICC's stance on ambush marketing.

He said the ICC has deployed resources to keep a check on the same. "We have a large team looking into it (ambush marketing)," he added.

Lorgat, however, did not say if the ICC had so far received any complaints related to ambush marketing or any violation of rights of the sponsors.

Ambush marketing is a strategy wherein advertisers try to gain mileage out of an event without paying any sponsorship fee. For instance, cricketers were used by Pepsi with its 'There's nothing official about it' campaign during the Wills World Cup in 1996 held in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka much to the ire of rival Coca Cola, which was the official sponsor.

ICC has already imposed restrictions on cricketers not to appear for any brands, which are rivals of its sponsors seven days before and after the World Cup.

The ICC has already announced sponsorship deals with Reliance Communications, LG, PepsiCo, Reebok, Hero Honda, Emirates, Yahoo, Castrol and Money Gram.

The global cricket body today also roped in Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) as the official car partner for the event and will extend it till 2015 World Cup. HMIL has plans to spend a total of Rs 200 crore on advertising, promotional activities and ICC sponsorship.

Asked if there would be more partners for the upcoming World Cup, Lorgat said: "We do not plan to announce any other global sponsors after HMIL."

He said, come World Cup ICC will see a substantial increase in sponsorship revenues compared to what it raked in during the last World Cup.

"There is very good growth in the game of cricket," he added, however, did not disclose numbers.