Sunday, 5th April 2026
Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 25th March 2026, 5:03 AM
In a staggering development for Indian cricket, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise has been sold for an eye-watering ₹21,850 crore, equivalent to approximately $1.78 billion. This deal represents a phenomenal 1,495 per cent increase in the team’s value since its initial purchase in 2008.
The acquisition was led by a consortium headed by the Aditya Birla Group, with strategic partners including the Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures, and Blackstone. The group now owns 100 per cent of both the franchise’s men’s IPL team and the Women’s Premier League (WPL) side, solidifying its complete control over Bengaluru cricket.
| Year | Owner | Purchase Price | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | United Breweries (Vijay Mallya) | $111.6 million | Second-highest priced team among eight IPL franchises |
| 2016 | Diageo (UK-based) | N/A | Took control after Mallya’s departure from India |
| 2021 | BCCI (Lucknow & Ahmedabad franchises) | $1.69 billion | Sale of new franchises provides valuation benchmark |
| 2026 | Aditya Birla-led consortium | $1.78 billion (₹21,850 crore) | Full ownership of IPL and WPL teams |
Originally acquired by Vijay Mallya’s United Breweries for $111.6 million, Bengaluru was then the second most expensive franchise in the IPL. Over 18 years, the team’s valuation has soared, eclipsing even the combined cost of the two most recently sold franchises in 2021, Lucknow and Ahmedabad.
Following Mallya’s exit from India in 2016, control of the team passed to the UK-based company Diageo. The franchise’s sale was accelerated by a tragic incident on 4 June 2025 during Bengaluru’s championship celebrations, when 11 fans were crushed to death and many more injured. The ensuing public scrutiny and pressure ultimately prompted Diageo to put the franchise up for sale, with the process commencing last November and concluding by 31 March 2026.
Under the new ownership, Aryaman Vikram Birla of the Aditya Birla Group has been appointed chairman. Aryaman, son of chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, is a former first-class cricketer for Madhya Pradesh and was part of the Rajasthan Royals IPL squad in 2018 and 2019, though he did not play in any matches. He stepped away from cricket indefinitely in 2019 citing mental health reasons.
Satyen Gajwani of the Times of India Group will serve as vice-chairman. Other notable consortium members include David Blitzer of Bolt Ventures and Viral Patel, CEO of BXPE, demonstrating the breadth and strategic strength of the new ownership group.
This historic sale not only underlines the escalating financial stakes of the IPL but also marks a transformative moment for Bengaluru cricket, encompassing both the men’s and women’s leagues under a unified, high-profile ownership.
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