A consortium comprising the Aditya Birla Group, Bolt Ventures, Blackstone and the Times of India Group have acquired IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru for $1.78 billion (₹16,706 crore approximately).
The 100 per cent stake deal covers both the men’s and women’s teams in the IPL and WPL. United Spirits, the India arm of UK-based Diageo, launched a strategic review of the franchise in November, labelling the team “non-core” to its primary alcohol business.
Another consortium, led by US-based tech entrepreneur Kal Somani, is also set to acquire 100 per cent stake in Rajasthan Royals. The deal has been finalised at a valuation of $1.63 billion (₹15,290 crore approximately), sources privy to the development confirmed to The Telegraph.
Somani, an existing shareholder in the franchise, has been joined by Rob Walton from the Walmart and Hamp (Ford) families.
Both the franchise sales are subject to BCCI’s approval and the ownership will be effective post IPL 2026. As per the IPL franchise agreement, 5 per cent of the transacted money has to be paid to the BCCI.
RCB were among the eight original franchises, bought by Vijay Mallya, then USL chairman, for $111.6 million in 2008. The control was later passed to Diageo, which took over USL and by extension RCB in 2016 following Mallya’s exit.
Manoj Badale’s company Emerging Media, which held a 65 per cent stake in Royals, had bought it for $67 million in 2008.
“Over the past two decades, the IPL has morphed to become a global sporting powerhouse that has changed the face of Indian cricket, creating enormous value for India. RCB, as one of the most compelling franchises in modern sport, offers the Aditya
Birla Group a distinctive platform to extend its legacy of institution-building into the arena of global sport,” Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman, Aditya Birla Group, said in
a statement.
Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants were added to the IPL in 2021 for a combined cost of over ₹12,700 crore, with LSG going for ₹7,090 crore.