United Spirits Ltd has put Royal Challengers Bengaluru up for sale, expected to conclude by March 2026. Valued at $2B after their maiden IPL win, the franchise faces speculation over new ownership and potential rebranding ahead of IPL 2026.
After months of speculation, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been officially put up for sale, as per the filing by United Spirits Ltd (USL), the Indian arm of Diageo. The Indian Premier League’s most followed franchise is now set to attract potential buyers, with the sale process expected to conclude by March 31, 2026.
In June this year, Royal Challengers Bengaluru ended their 18-year wait to clinch the maiden IPL title when they defeated three-time finalists Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. However, their celebrations were short-lived following a tragic stampede outside the RCB’s home venue, M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, that claimed 11 lives and left dozens injured.
Months after a historic maiden IPL triumph and Bengaluru stampede tragedy, RCB owners, United Spirits Ltd (USL), filed a disclosure with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), stating that the strategic review of its investment in the franchise through its wholly-owned subsidiary Royal Challengers Sports Pvt Ltd. (RCSPL). The company further stated that the team has become a ‘non‑core’ asset to its portfolio and set the sale process in motion.
RCB Eyes 2 Billion Sale of the Franchise
The current owners of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru are considering the sale of the franchise for a whopping $2 billion (approximately INR 17,500 crore). According to the report by Bloomberg News, the owners, United Spirits Ltd (USL), were looking at the possibilities of selling a part of the franchise by seeking a valuation of $2 billion.
Given the success of the franchise over the years, not only on the field but also off the field in terms of brand value, merchandise sales, and fan following, Royal Challengers Bengaluru is expected to attract high-profile investors to take over the team, making it one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world.
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The parties interested in buying the RCB franchise have not been officially announced yet, but the reports suggested Adani Group, Adar Poonawalla of Serum Institute of India, the JSW Group (owned by the Jindal family), Ravi Jaipuria of Devyani International Group, and a US–based private investment firm have shown their interest in acquiring the most followed franchise in the IPL.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru not only have a men’s team but also a women’s team, which competes in the Women’s Premier League. RCB is the second team after the Mumbai Indians to win the IPL and WPL titles, marking a historic achievement for the franchise across both men’s and women’s cricket.
Speculations of the Rebranding of RCB
As Royal Challengers Bengaluru is expected to find a new owner by the end of March next year, there have been speculations that the franchise might undergo rebranding, including a new name, logo, and team identity in the IPL 2026. The change of ownership will likely take a few days after the next season of the IPL begins, fuelling speculation about a new possible name and identity in the IPL 2026.
Royal Challenge is a whisky brand owned by United Spirits Ltd (USL). Its previous owner was Vijay Mallya, who owned the franchise before it was acquired and integrated into Diageo’s Indian operations. It has been speculated that the potential new owner of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru will unlikely to retain the existing brand name and may opt for a complete overhaul, including a new team name, logo, and overall identity in the IPL 2026.
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For close to two decades, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, formerly known as Royal Challengers Bangalore, has been one of the most successful, popular, and valuable franchises in the history of IPL, boasting a massive fanbase, players, and a strong presence in both men’s and women’s cricket.
As of 2024, Royal Challengers Bengaluru reportedly has a brand value of $117 million, which is approximately INR 1000, making it one of the highest-valued franchises in the history of IPL.
Will RCB be Renamed after the Change of Ownership?
The speculations around the rebranding of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru are already rife moments after the current owners decided to put the franchise on sale, with the new owner able to rename the team, redesign the logo, and revamp the overall identity ahead of IPL 2026.
The potential owner is neither part of the whisky brand, Royal Challenge, nor affiliated with United Spirits Ltd (USL). However, the rebranding of the franchise is highly unlikely as the new owner will also buy the trademark rights of “Royal Challengers Bengaluru,” allowing them to retain the iconic name, logo, and brand identity if they choose to do so.
Since RCB is reportedly seeking a valuation of a whopping $2 billion, the new owner is expected to retain the current name of the team and brand identity to preserve its existing fanbase, brand value, and commercial appeal, rather than risk starting from scratch with a new identity. However, it could be possible that the new owner might keep the initials ‘RCB’ while replacing ‘Royal Challengers’ with a new name in the future.
When Rajasthan Royals changed their ownership, the new management retained the team’s original name and brand identity to preserve its fanbase and commercial value. Similarly, the new owner of Royal Challengers Bengaluru may choose to retain the team’s name, logo, and the overall brand identity as the trademark rights will also be transferred to them, giving them full control over the established brand while maintaining the continuity for fans and sponsor.