Owners of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) are willing to sell 100% stake of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises.
Diageo, via United Spirits, had initiated the sale of RCB last year. The international alcohol and beverage giant views the cricket franchise as a non-core asset. Meanwhile, RR is majority owned by Manoj Badale’s Emerging Media. The reason behind the 2008 champions moving on isn’t certain.
Interested buyers
Last month, it was reported that RR received a bid of $1.3 billion (INR 11,791 crore approximately) from Kal Somani, an investor in RR since 2021, who had formed a consortium. Four other parties, Lancer Capital, Capri Global, Sanjay Govil (owner of Washington Freedom in MLC and Welsh Fire in The Hundred), and Times Group, are also shortlisted.
As for RCB, just a couple of days ago, it emerged that the owners of Manchester United, through Avram Glazer’s Lancer Capital, were interested in acquiring the IPL franchise. Other interested parties are Manipal Group (owned by Ranjan Pai), Adar Poonawalla (owner of Serum Institute of India), Times Group, EQT Private Capital, Capri Global, Sanjay Govil, and Premji Invest.
Complete ownership on the cards
According to ESPNcricinfo, owners RR and RCB are both willing to sell 100% stake in the franchises. RCB is likely to receive a bid between $1.2 and 1.8 billion (INR 10,884 to 16,326 crore approximately) for both the men’s and women’s teams combined. Meanwhile, RR, who don’t have a women’s team, will receive bids between $1.2 and 1.4 billion (INR 10,884 to 12,698 crore approximately).
Raine Group, which oversaw the sale of private equity in the Hundred, is managing the process of sale for RR, while Citigroup is handling it for RCB. RR will receive the final bids by the first week of March, days before IPL 2026 commences on March 26. There’s no confirmed date for RCB yet, but it’s expected to be by the end of February.
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