Aditya Birla Group-led consortium wins race as new owners of RCB franchise

Published - 24 Mar 2026, 22:02 IST | Updated - 24 Mar 2026, 22:57 IST

The much-awaited sale of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise has finally been completed with the Aditya Birla Group, The Times of India Group, Blackstone, and Bolt Ventures being the new joint owners of the side. The deal was signed at a jaw-dropping valuation of US$1.78 billion, which translates to roughly INR 16,700 crore.

The move completes a historic trade deal in franchise cricket, making it one of the costliest buys in franchise leagues globally. Earlier, there were reports of Adar Poonawalla being the frontrunner to hold a stake in the franchise; however, the deal did not strike through, with the Aditya Birla Group eventually winning the bid through its consortium.

"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. We are delighted to become custodians of this asset and committed to further building this extraordinary legacy," Kumar Mangalam Birla, the Aditya Birla Group's chairman said in a statement.

"It is a privilege to come together in this partnership to shape the next phase of growth for RCB. This partnership brings together a deep understanding of sports, media and consumer businesses. Together, we will continue to Play Bold - on the pitch, in the community, and for the fans who make RCB what it is," former RR cricketer Aryaman Birla said.

Meanwhile, the TOI group will be eating the second-biggest chunk after ABG in RCB's new ownership table. The stakeholders at TOI believe that RCB brand is among the most popular ones across the world, and that they are confident of the team defending its IPL title in the upcoming 2026 season under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar.

"RCB is the reigning champion and the most popular brand in the IPL. As The Times of India Group, together with our partners, we will build RCB into a global sporting institution, while remaining rooted in Bengaluru and Karnataka and its incredible fanbase. We are committed to the people who built this championship-winning culture - the players, coaches, the leadership team, and the fans. We look forward to supporting the team as they take the pitch on Saturday to defend RCB's title," Satyan Gajwani of Times Internet Limited added.

Meanwhile, the United Spirits Limited (USL) will now cease to exist as an owner of the RCB franchise through Diageo India. It had sought a sale of its ownership stake back in November 2025. With the completion of the sale, USL has expressed its gratitude.

"We are excited for the future of RCB under the stewardship of the new owners. As sports enters a new phase of growth in India & globally, we believe this is in the best interest of the franchise and our stakeholders. On behalf of USL, I thank everyone who has contributed to RCB's journey for their continued support - the BCCI, the fans, players and employees," said Praveen Someshwar, United Spirits' managing director and chief executive officer.