Qatar Airways partners with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), the club cricket giants

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), one of the giants in club cricket, have secured a new partnership with Qatar Airways. This latest collaboration sees Qatar Airways becoming the Official Front of Jersey Partner for the Indian Premier League (IPL) team.

On 2 April, the Bengaluru-based cricket team will play their opening match against the Mumbai Indians as part of the Indian Premier League 2023 season, which runs from 31 March to 28 May. To mark the occasion, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB’s home arena, hosted a special “Unboxing Event” attended by cricket legends, celebrities, team officials, and superstar players such as Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Glen Maxwell, among others.

The event drew in a crowd of 40,000 enthusiastic fans who watched the RCB squad train in an entertaining atmosphere. Following the training, the Qatar Airways cabin crew participated in a special jersey unveiling ceremony to greet the team.

Qatar Airways’ leisure division, Qatar Airways Holidays, has launched all-inclusive travel packages that offer exclusive access to the bespoke Qatar Airways hospitality lounge at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where cricket fans can attend an IPL match.

The packages also provide unique experiences like viewing practice sessions, signed memorabilia, player meet and greets, photo opportunities with Virat Kholi, and more. These packages, called the Ultimate RCB Fan packages, include return flights with Qatar Airways, premium hotel accommodations, IPL tickets, and exciting experiences. Customers interested in purchasing these packages can do so by visiting the dedicated link, qatarairways.com/RCB.

His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, announced the addition of the Royal Challengers Bangalore to their extensive sports portfolio, stating that they are embarking on a new journey. He added that the team has a passionate fan base and a well-represented list of cricket legends who have played for the team. Cricket is a global game with a worldwide audience, and it has the power to unite people from different backgrounds. He emphasized that from start to finish, the RCB packages offered by Qatar Airways will elevate the fan experience to the next level, providing a seamless journey to witness world-class cricket and entertainment.

Qatar Airways considers India to be a significant market, where they operate non-stop flights from 13 cities. These flights also serve as connections to 13 cities in North America and 35 cities in Europe through their hub, Hamad International Airport, which has been awarded the Skytrax World’s Best Airport award for the past two years. The airline is thrilled to partner with RCB for the next three years, believing it will be a successful alliance.

Prathmesh Mishra, Chairman of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chief Commercial Officer of Diageo India, expressed his excitement about the potential of the RCB – Qatar Airways partnership. He believes that both brands have strong synergies that create a robust platform for building a very strong marketing association over the next three years and beyond.

He further stated that Qatar Airways has a history of activating world-class sports marketing partnerships, and he hopes that the RCB partnership will be equally successful. The activation of the partnership will set a benchmark in the Indian sports ecosystem, and it will help RCB achieve its goal of becoming a global cricketing powerhouse and a lifestyle brand.

Following the “Unboxing Event,” the stadium was filled with entertainment activities, including musical performances from various artists, such as international artist Jason Derulo who performed live. The event also featured the retirement of cricket legends A.B. de Villiers and Chris Gayle’s jerseys by the team as a mark of honor to induct them into the club’s hall of fame.

In collaboration with world-renowned Indian actor Deepika Padukone, Qatar Airways has launched a new brand campaign that embodies the premium experience available to customers transiting through Hamad International Airport, which is recognized as the best airport in the Middle East.

As a brand, Qatar Airways is committed to supporting global sports and helping fans travel to their favorite events around the world. With partnerships including FIFA, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Bayern, Concacaf, and many others, the airline is a leading global supporter of football. Additionally, Qatar Airways serves as the Official Airline of Formula 1®, the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 Triathlon Series, United Rugby Championship (URC), Global Kitesports Association, and numerous other disciplines, including equestrianism, padel, squash, and tennis.