New Delhi, March 24: A consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group and the Times of India Group has acquired the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), the current Indian Premier League (IPL) champions, for $1.78 billion (approximately ₹16,725 crore).
According to a news report by ‘Cricbuzz’, the consortium includes Bolt Ventures and Blackstone’s Perpetual Private Equity Strategy (BXPE). Together, they have successfully purchased RCB, one of the eight original franchises established before the first IPL season in 2008.
The report claims that the consortium has reached a definitive agreement with Diageo PLC’s subsidiary, United Spirits Limited (USL), to acquire a 100% stake in RCB. This deal encompasses both the men’s and women’s teams of the IPL and WPL.
Under the new ownership structure, Aryaman Vikram Birla from the Aditya Birla Group will take on the role of chairman, while Satyan Gajwani from the Times of India Group will serve as vice-chairman. The consortium also includes David Blitzer, founder of Bolt Ventures, and Viral Patel, CEO of BXPE.
This acquisition is subject to approval from regulatory bodies, including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the governing bodies of the IPL and WPL.
Diageo PLC had put RCB up for sale a few months ago, attracting interest from several potential buyers, including Adar Poonawalla of the Serum Institute of India.
RCB is the first and only franchise to hold titles in both the IPL and WPL simultaneously. The men’s team won its first IPL title in 2025, followed by the women’s team securing its second WPL title in February 2026.
The RCB franchise was originally acquired through a bidding process by former liquor baron Vijay Mallya, with young star Virat Kohli included as an ‘icon player’. Diageo PLC took control of the RCB franchise after acquiring United Spirits from Mallya.