RCB Fans Brace for Change as Diageo Prepares to Sell IPL 2025 Champions

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the reigning Indian Premier League (IPL) champions, has officially been put up for sale by its owner Diageo plc, the London-based beverages giant that controls the franchise through its Indian subsidiary United Spirits Ltd (USL). In a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange on Wednesday, USL announced it has launched a “strategic review” of its wholly-owned subsidiary Royal Challengers Sports Pvt Ltd (RCSPL), with the process expected to conclude by March 31, 2026. The move confirms weeks of market speculation and positions RCB—valued at close to USD 2 billion—as the most high-profile IPL asset to hit the block since the league’s inception in 2008.

The decision comes just five months after RCB ended its 17-year title drought by clinching the IPL 2025 trophy in a dramatic rain-hit final against Punjab Kings, followed by a record-breaking WPL triumph in 2024. Despite the on-field success and a star-studded roster featuring Virat Kohli, Smriti Mandhana, and Josh Hazlewood, Diageo has classified the cricket business as “non-core” to its alcohol-beverage portfolio. RCSPL contributed 8.3 per cent of United Spirits’ total profit in the financial year ending March 31, 2025, yet the parent company is prioritising capital reallocation amid a broader global restructuring exercise.

Market sources indicate strong early interest from multiple Indian conglomerates and high-net-worth individuals, with Serum Institute billionaire Adar Poonawalla reportedly among the front-runners. Any transaction would eclipse the USD 1.02 billion Diageo paid for the franchise in 2022 (through its acquisition of United Spirits’ controlling stake) and could set a new benchmark for IPL team valuations. The timeline ensures the sale will not disrupt RCB’s participation in the upcoming WPL player auction on November 27 or the men’s mega auction scheduled for early 2026.

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United Spirits MD & CEO Praveen Someshwar assured stakeholders that the review is being conducted “keeping RCSPL’s best interest in mind”, with binding commitments expected to protect the franchise’s Bengaluru identity and Chinnaswamy Stadium as its permanent home. For millions of RCB fans who celebrated “Ee Sala Cup Namde” throughout 2025, the coming months will determine whether their beloved team retains its soul under new ownership or embarks on a fresh chapter with deeper financial muscle to dominate Indian cricket.

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