Royal, recognized as the #1 brand of Authentic Basmati and Sona Masoori Rice in America, celebrated its second season as a Signature Partner of Cognizant Major League Cricket (MLC). The extended partnership between the two entities was immensely successful and synergistic, as cricket continues to grow and diversify its United States fanbase.
During the MLC Championship Match held on Sunday, July 28, 2024, at Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie, Texas, cricket fans witnessed a match between Washington Freedom and San Francisco Unicorns, with Washington Freedom securing the 2024 Championship title with a 96-run win. At the closing ceremony, a Royal representative awarded Faf du Plessis, South African professional cricketer and former captain of the South Africa national cricket team, the prestigious Royal® Leading Run Scorer trophy.
As a Signature Partner, Royal brought its "For The Many Flavors of You" campaign to life with in-stadium activations like a "Guess How Many Grains in a 20-pound Bag of Rice?" contest, cricket-themed Cornhole, a Royal photo booth, branded merchandise and Royal Basmati rice samples in a jute bag. Fans also enjoyed sampling Royal's award-winning products, with dishes inspired by the six MLC cricket teams, including New York Style Fried Rice, Seattle Lemon Rice, Los Angeles Arancini, San Francisco Vegetable Biryani, Washington Rice Kheer, and Texas Tex-Mex Rice. During live broadcasts and on social media, the Royal Leading Run Scorer leaderboard showcased the thrilling match plays, while the televised Royal Pitch Report offered valuable pre-game insights.
In collaboration with MLC, the brand launched 'The Royal Experience' contest where the winner won two tickets to the Championship Match alongside a photo opportunity with the captains on the Pitch during the coin toss. Other contest prizes from Royal included signed player jerseys, customized Royal Cricket merchandise boxes, and complimentary match tickets throughout the season.
Royal also served as official sponsor of two MLC teams, MI New York and the San Francisco Unicorns. The collaboration included local community activations, engaging player content on social media, co-branded giveaways and logo integration on player's jersey kit.
