PSL 9 doors closed on surrogate advertising

The Pakistan Super League's gates are firmly closed on surrogate advertising. No franchises will be allowed next year. The board will apprise the government's decision in the Lahore Governing Council meeting on Tuesday. The agenda will also include the venue and final dates of the event for next year.

According to details, the surrogate advertising began in Pakistani cricket a few years ago, with foreign companies establishing their presence by rebranding. Most of them used news cover. Despite the news coverage by the media, authorities did not issue any notices. 

In PSL 8, most of the franchise sponsors were surrogate companies. When Multan Sultans' captain Mohammad Rizwan covered his sponsor logos during a match, the issue escalated. 

Recently, the government imposed a complete ban on surrogate advertising. Upon issuing the notification, the PCB spokesperson stated they received guidance but no specific directives, further deliberation is required on the matter. Subsequently, a new government notification of zero tolerance clarified the situation.

The PSL Governing Council meeting is set to occur in Lahore on Tuesday, encompassing surrogate advertising on its agenda. Franchises will be directed to abstain in light of government instructions, with a copy of the government notification sent to them. 

Some franchises have already removed surrogate company logos from their social media posts. The meeting will finalize the venue and dates for the event. The proposed dates span from February 8 to March 24, with some franchises and board officials in favor of holding the event in the UAE due to the general elections on February 8. The meeting on Tuesday will also cover player drafts' date and media rights.