Reliance Industries-owned RISE Worldwide has announced a partnership with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to monetise virtual sponsorship inventory for the ongoing Ashes series. The deal will help cricket boards generate revenue from the Indian market, where cricket governing bodies receive little sponsorship money. Rise Worldwide is one of the top sports marketing agencies in the country and has previously secured over 60 sponsorship deals worth ₹400 crore for the Indian Premier League (IPL) until 2023. The company has also worked with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Cricket Australia (CA), and New Zealand Cricket to explore virtual inventory opportunities. Virtual inventory, a blend of on-ground advertising and broadcast sponsorship, allows for brand assets integration in a virtual environment. This provides commercial potential for rights holders, while brands can modify their creative for each match. With cricket viewership at an all-time high on both TV and digital platforms, brands purchasing virtual inventory can benefit from high visibility, as the sponsor logo is inserted at the production stage. According to Rise Worldwide, international cricket boards can earn between ₹1.5 crore and ₹2 crore per match from the sale of virtual inventory for matches featuring the Indian team. The company also highlighted BroadcastVirtual as a pioneer in virtual branding, collaborating with production crews to insert logos during the production phase.