RCB Sold for ₹16,705 Crore to Aditya Birla Group and David Blitzer Consortium. Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been sold in a huge deal worth ₹16,705 crore. A consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group has taken ownership of the franchise. The group has partnered with investor David Blitzer for this major acquisition. Global investment firm Blackstone is also part of the consortium. Reports suggest possible involvement of the Times of India Group as well.
Franchise Sale After Historic IPL Title
Previously, RCB was owned by global liquor company Diageo. The franchise was put on sale in November 2025 after the first IPL title win. Their maiden championship victory increased their brand value significantly. This attracted strong interest from several big business groups. Many high-profile bidders competed to buy the Bengaluru-based franchise.
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Intense Bidding War for RCB
Dr Ranjan Pai of Manipal Group joined hands with KKR stakeholders to bid. EQT partnered with Premji Invest to place another serious bid. The Aditya Mittal family also showed a strong interest in the franchise. However, the Birla-led group eventually secured the winning bid. The franchise valuation reportedly reached close to $2 billion.
The IPL ecosystem has exhibited increasing financial strength, as this demonstrates. Huge fan base of RCB made the franchise more appealing to investors. Their persistent popularity served as a crucial factor for reaching the final agreement. David Blitzer brings international sports ownership expertise through his participation.
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Blackstone provides substantial financial support to the new ownership group. The new ownership team plans to implement innovative business approaches for their organisation. RCB will work to maintain their winning ways, which they achieved through the IPL 2025 victory. The ownership transition is expected to be completed soon. Fans are excited to see how the new management shapes the future. RCB will now begin a new chapter under fresh leadership.