MUMBAI, INDIA – A powerhouse consortium of Aditya Birla Group, Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures, and Blackstone clinched Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a $1.78 billion deal Tuesday, capping a fierce global bidding war for the Indian Premier League powerhouse.
United Spirits, Diageo’s Indian arm, offloaded its full stake after deeming the team non-core to its liquor focus. Bids poured in from KKR, Blackstone, Serum Institute’s Adar Poonawalla, Manipal’s Ranjan Pai, and even Manchester United’s Avram Glazer, drawn by the IPL’s explosive growth, broadcast rights doubled to over $6 billion in 2022, with franchises like RCB posting $56 million revenue in 2024-25, up 73% in three years.
The acquisition covers both men’s and women’s teams, pending nods from India’s cricket board (BCCI) and competition authorities. Fresh off its first men’s IPL title in 2025, powered by Virat Kohli,RCB taps into the league’s BCCI revenue-sharing model and vast global fanbase, luring private equity amid Rajasthan Royals’ parallel sale process.
Aditya Birla’s Aryaman Vikram Birla steps in as chairman, with Times Group’s Satyan Gajwani as vice chairman. The move signals Wall Street’s deepening bet on cricket’s riches, blending Indian media muscle with US investment savvy.