The speculation surrounding the impending ownership change at reigning Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is always going around as the new season is getting closer. Many companies have been linked with the potential impending purchase of RCB.
The interest peaked on the morning of March 6 as Cricbuzz posted on X declaring, “BIG NEWS ON RCB!” coming soon. The post offered no further context, but in the hyper-aware world of IPL fandom, fans were quick to speculate that the news could be focused on the franchise's impending sale looming just over the horizon.
After finally securing that elusive maiden IPL title last season, Diageo initiated a ‘strategic review' of the franchise, a move that signals the start of a potential sale process.
🚨 BIG NEWS ON RCB!
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) March 6, 2026
COMING SOON ON CRICBUZZ! pic.twitter.com/6MFtTc7XgX
There was speculation surrounding the timing of the announcement, which followed what was the franchise's most successful year both on and off field but one that was also tragically overshadowed by the fatal stampede during the victory parade which led to the loss of the lives of 11 and left 56 injured.
Back in November, Diageo explained the move as an exercise aimed at reassessing the role of this asset within its broader India portfolio, stating that it sits outside its core alcobev focus.
The announcement led to widespread speculation about who the next owners could be with such high-value IPL franchises rarely going up for sale in the current sports ecosystem in the country.
RCB were one of the eight founding members when the IPL was launched, and was originally bought by Vijay Mallya through his company, United Breweries (UB) Group. Following Mallya's financial collapse and exit from India in 2016, control of the franchise implicitly passed to the London-based Diageo, which had acquired a majority stake in United Spirits Limited (USL), a subsidiary of Mallya's UB Group.
Notably, Diageo had set a deadline of March 31, 2026 to conclude this “strategic review” which implies a decision on the franchise could be announced soon. Their stated goal was to conclude the entire sale process, valuation, bidding, and regulatory approval from the BCCI, before the final weekend of March, with any ownership change expected to be finalised ahead of or during the IPL 2026 season.
Several reports have suggested that Diageo are seeking a valuation of $2 billion for RCB. According to global investment bank Houlikah Lokey, RCB were ranked the most valuable IPL franchise last year with an estimate worth of $269 million.
The Potential Bidders: Global Investors And Indian Billionaires Circle RCB
While no official names have been released by Diageo or the BCCI, various reports state four names as the primary interested parties:
- There has been interest from abroad with reports stating that Lancer Capital, a private equity firm chaired by Manchester United co-owner Avram Glazer, have reportedly submitted a serious bid. Their entry would mark the first time a major US sporting dynasty takes over one of the IPL's "Big Three" teams, raising intriguing questions about how they would navigate the intense Indian fan ecosystem.
- Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of the Serum Institute of India (SII) threw his hat into the ring with a post on ‘X' on Jan 22 stating, “Over the next few months, will be putting in a STRONG and COMPETITIVE bid for @RCBTweets, one of the best teams in the IPL.”
- There is also speculation that the JSW Group, who are co-owners of Delhi Capitals, might be looking to divest their stake in Delhi (potentially to co-owners GMR) to take full control of the Bengaluru franchise, whose market value is significantly higher.
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