Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Brand Value Tops $300 Million as IPL Business Value Reaches $20.6 Billion
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) became the first cricket franchise to exceed a US$300 million brand valuation, reporting a brand value of US$312 million for 2026 – a 16 % rise from US$269 million in 2025. The increase places RCB at the top of the IPL franchise rankings.
The Indian Premier League’s overall business value grew 11.4 % year‑on‑year to US$20.6 billion in 2026, while its stand‑alone brand value rose 10.3 % to US$4.3 billion. These figures underline the league’s rapid commercial expansion beyond pure sporting performance.
Major ownership transactions underscored investor confidence: a consortium of Blackstone, Bolt Ventures, the Aditya Birla Group and Times of India Group bought RCB for US$1.78 billion, the highest‑priced IPL franchise deal to date. The Rajasthan Royals were sold for US$1.65 billion to the Mittal family and Adar Poonawalla. The report also noted a shift in viewership, with 652 million of the 1.18 billion total IPL viewers watching online in 2025 and connected‑TV reach rising 26 % year‑on‑year.
Entities: Adar Poonawalla · Blackstone · Houlihan Lokey · Indian Premier League · Mittal family · Rajasthan Royals · Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Royal Challengers Bengaluru's franchise brand value rose 16% to US$312 million, remaining the league’s most valuable franchise. (Houlihan Lokey study)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The IPL 2025 reached 1.18 billion viewers across TV and digital, with 652 million watching online. (EY‑FICCI 2026 report cited in Houlihan Lokey study)
- [● 8 SOURCES] The IPL’s stand‑alone brand value grew 10.3 % to US$4.3 billion in 2026. (Houlihan Lokey’s 2026 IPL Brand Valuation Study)
- [● 6 SOURCES] Rajasthan Royals was sold for US$1.65 billion to the Mittal family and Adar Poonawalla. (Houlihan Lokey report)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Connected‑TV (CTV) reach grew 26% and consumption rose 20% year‑on‑year during the IPL 2026 season. (Houliwan Lokey study)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The IPL 2026 opening weekend attracted 515 million viewers and 32.6 billion watch minutes, up 26% from the prior season. (Houlihan Lokey study)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Royal Challengers Bengaluru was acquired for US$1.78 billion by a consortium that includes Blackstone, Bolt Ventures, Aditya Birla Group and Times of India Group. (Houlihan Lokey report)
- [● 7 SOURCES] The IPL’s business value increased 11.4 % to US$20.6 billion in 2026. (Houlihan Lokey’s 2026 IPL Brand Valuation Study)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Mumbai Indians held the second‑highest IPL franchise brand value at US$264 million in 2026. (Houlihan Lokey IPL Brand Valuation Study 2026.)
- [● 6 SOURCES] Royal Challengers Bengaluru became the first cricket team to exceed a US$300 million brand value. (Houlihan Lokey IPL Brand Valuation Study 2026.)
- [● 8 SOURCES] Royal Challengers Bengaluru was acquired by a consortium including Blackstone, Bolt Ventures, Aditya Birla Group and Times of India Group for US$1.78 billion. (Houlihan Lokey IPL Brand Valuation Study 2026.)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Royal Challengers Bengaluru's brand value reached US$312 million in 2026, a 16 % increase from US$269 million in 2025. (Report by Houlihan Lokey on IPL brand valuations.)