IPL Chairman Lauds RCB and Rajasthan Royals Billion-Dollar Takeover

Key Points

• Billion-dollar takeover of RCB (men's and women's teams) and Rajasthan Royals completed
• IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal called it a validation of IPL's global sports asset value
• Each franchise now worth more than the combined $1.69 billion paid for Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans in 2021
• Dhumal ruled out the possibility of an IPL IPO

Full Details

On March 27, 2026, the Indian Premier League witnessed a major merger-and-acquisition event when a consortium led by IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal completed a billion-dollar takeover of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) men's and women's teams as well as the Rajasthan Royals franchise. The deal was completed just two days before the start of IPL 2026. Dhumal remarked that the acquisition underlines IPL's growing stature in the global sports asset market and demonstrates how everyone wants to be part of it. The exponential rise in franchise brand value is evident from the fact that each franchise fetched more than the combined value of Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans, approximately $1.69 billion (about ₹12,715 crore), which was the price paid for the two new teams in the 2021 auction. When asked about the possibility of an IPL IPO, Dhumal shot down the idea.