New Delhi: Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is reportedly up for sale. One of the most popular franchises in the league, RCB won their maiden IPL title earlier this year, ending an 18-year-long drought. However, their title celebrations turned tragic after 11 people lost their lives in a stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, while the RCB team celebrated inside a packed stadium.
Now speculation is rife about RCB’s future, and the former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has added fuel to the fire by claiming that the franchise is up for sale. Modi has said that RCB’s owners want to remove the franchise from their balance sheet. He also predicted record valuation for the franchise, claiming that some of the biggest global funds or a sovereign fund might be interested in buying the team.
“There have been a lot of rumours about the sale of an @iplt20 franchise, specifically @royalchallengers.bengaluru. In the past, offers were denied, but it seems the owners have finally decided to take it off their balance sheet and sell it.” Lalit Modi said in a social media post on Monday, September 29.
“Having won the IPL last season, with a strong fan base, an excellent team and a great management structure, it could be the only franchise available as a whole. I am sure one of the big global funds or a sovereign fund would be eager to include them in their investment strategy. There can be no better investment opportunity than this. Good luck to whoever secures it. It will definitely set a new record valuation and reinforce that the IPL is not only the fastest-growing global sporting league, but also the most valuable. The new price set by #RCB will become the floor price for all teams,” he added.
There have been a lot of rumour about the sale of an @IPL franchise specifically @RCBTweets – well in the past they have been denied. But it seems the owners have finally decided to take it off their balance sheet and sell it. I am sure having won the IPL last season and also… pic.twitter.com/ecXfU5n5v5
— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) September 29, 2025
Diageo Plc, a British alcoholic beverage company, owns RCB through its Indian arm, United Spirits Limited. The franchise was initially bought by Vijay Mallya’s company United Spirits for $111.6 million ahead of the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008. RCB was one of the most expensive cricket teams in the world at the time.
RCB’s ownership went to Diageo Plc after Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines went bankrupt, forcing him to sell United Spirits Limited to the British distillers. Under Digeo Plc, RCB’s valuation continued to soar with the franchise roping in several big names to play alongside their evergreen superstar Virat Kohli. However, their wait for their maiden IPL title only ended in 2025.
RCB valued at $2 billion
This is not the first time that reports have emerged regarding RCB’s potential sale. In June this year, only a week after RCB’s memorable IPL 2025 triumph, a report in Bloomberg had stated that owners Diageo Plc were exploring a full or partial sale of stake in the IPL franchise. The report claimed that Daigeo was looking for a valuation of around $2 billion.
Earlier this year, Modi, during his interview with former Australia captain Michael Clarke on his podcast, had said that RCB should look for a valuation of at least 2 million USD if the owners want to sell the franchise. Modi also claimed that the valuation can soar up to 2.5 million USD if the franchise is sold next year.
As per Bloomberg, Diageo’s decision to put the franchise up for sale was influenced by regulatory and strategic business considerations. However, Diageo later refuted the reports of considering a sale, and the speculation eventually died down. Modi’s latest post about RCB’s potential sale has once again sparked speculation about a potential business deal that can shape the future of the IPL.
It is worth noting that Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) is currently the most expensive franchise in the IPL after it was bought for a sum of 7,090 crore (approximately $940 million) in 2021. For context, Chelsea, one of the most prominent Premeir League clubs, was acquired for approximately $5.2 billion in May 2022 by a Todd Boehly-led consortium.