Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is up for sale, and there are six potential buyers, according to a media report on Friday (October 17).

After a wait of 18 years, RCB finally won its maiden IPL trophy in June this year. The Rajat Patidar-led team defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the final to win the IPL 2025 title in Ahmedabad on June 3. However, the victory celebrations at their home ground – M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru turned tragic with a stampede that claimed 11 lives on June 4.

Who are potential buyers of RCB?

As per a report in cricbuzzDiageo Great Britain, the parent company of the Bengaluru franchise, is ready to sell RCB for a whopping $2 billion (approximately Rs 17,600 crore). But there are different views on whether the franchise is worth that much.

Also read: Kohli breaks silence on RCB stampede tragedy: ‘Your loss is part of our story now’

However, the value will depend on the projection of media rights value – a futuristic view – in the next cycle, which will come for bidding in the next couple of years, the report added.

Adar Poonawala of Serum Institute, Parth Jindal of the JSW Group, Adani Group and a famous business tycoon based out of Delhi with interests in multiple sectors, two private equity companies based in the US are the six buyers who have lined up to bid for RCB.

Diageo wants to sell RCB as it is a non-core business for the company. “RCB is an exciting business, but is non-core for Diageo,” Praveen Someshwar, MD and CEO of Diageo India, told CNBC-TV18 recently.

Also read: Bengaluru stampede: Karnataka govt’s report to HC blames RCB’s ‘unilateral’ decision

For Jindal group which already has a 50 per cent stake in Delhi Capitals (DC), it has to exit the franchise in order to buy RCB.

RCB’s value in 2008

When IPL began in 2008, RCB was bought by business tycoon Vijay Mallya for $ 111.60 million. At the time, it was the second-highest bid in the auction, behind the Mumbai Indians (MI), which was bought by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries for $ 111.90 million.

According to a study by Houlihan Lokey, Inc., a US-based global investment bank, RCB is the top-valued IPL team, with a brand value of $269 million.

Lalit Modi’s X post on RCB sale

It was last month that the news of RCB’s sale came up, with former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi posting about it on his X account.

Photos: How RCB celebrated their IPL 2025 title win

“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 with its strong base of fans and off course the Team itself and a great management team – it could be the only Team which would be available as a whole as an#ipl franchise (sic),” Modi wrote on September 29.

“I am sure one of the Big Global funds or a Sovereign Fund would desperately like to have them as part of their investment strategy and India strategy. There can be no better investment opportunity I could think of then this one. Good luck to whoever can get their hands on to it. It definitely will set a new record valuation which will just go to show that IPL is the not only the fastest growing Global Sporting league but also the most valuable. That new price that #rcb sets will become the new floor price for all teams. Good to luck to all. I am sure #citibank will do a great job auctioning the team to prospective buyers (sic),” he added.