Samsung not keen on ICC deal

Delivering a double whammy to the International Cricket Council, with which South Korea's LG is ending a sponsorship deal, another electronics firm Samsung has said it was more keen on sponsoring the Olympics.

"I don't think we are pitching for it and we need to look at other sports as well. We have been associated with Olympics movement and globally more oriented toward it and will continue to focus on the same," Samsung India Electronics (SIE) deputy MD Ravinder Zutshi said.

On cricket, he said: "We have not made any commitment". Last month, LG Electronics had said it was unlikely to renew its contract with ICC for sponsoring cricket, having achieved substantial visibility in India during the seven years it backed the game.

LG's seven-year contract with ICC for global sponsorship ends after the ongoing World Cup. Samsung today, however, said bids for the next term have not been invited as of now but it was not very keen to go for it.

"Though nothing has come out formally as yet but we have not thought about it," SIE director, consumer electronics, Pradeep Tognatta said. The next World Cup would take place in the Indian subcontinent, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and ICC's next sponsorship contract would be for a period of eight years.