As per the reports by Cricbuzz, a group of powerful companies has officially agreed to buy the entire Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise, including both the men’s and women’s teams. Interestingly, it was not Mukesh Ambani or Sunil Mittal. Aryaman Vikram Birla, a director at the Aditya Birla Group buys Kohli’s RCB ahead of IPL 2026. But not alone, the new owners include the Aditya Birla Group, The Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures and the global investment firm Blackstone. By signing this deal, these four groups will now have full control and 100 per cent ownership of the popular sports team.
At what price was Kohli’s RCB sold?
The Indian Premier League and the Women’s Premier League franchises are being acquired from United Spirits Limited, a subsidiary of Diageo plc. The transaction has valued the franchise at 1.78 billion dollars (approx. INR 16,600 crore).
The deal still needs to pass a few final steps before it is officially finished. This includes getting approval from the BCCI, the IPL governing council and other official authorities.
Who will be the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Kohli’s RCB?
Once the 2026 season ends and the new owners take full control, the team will have new leaders. Aryaman Vikram Birla, a director at the Aditya Birla Group, will become the chairman. Satyan Gajwani, from The Times of India Group, will serve as the vice-chairman.
What did Kumar Mangalam Birla say?
“Over the past 2 decades, the IPL has morphed to become a global sporting powerhouse that has changed the face of Indian cricket creating enormous value for India. RCB, as one of the most compelling franchises in modern sport, offers the Aditya Birla Group a distinctive platform to extend its legacy of institution-building into the arena of global sport. We are delighted to become custodians of this asset and committed to further building this extraordinary legacy,” said Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group.
What did Satyan Gajwani say?
“RCB is the reigning champion and the most popular brand in the IPL. As The Times of India Group, together with our partners, we will build RCB into a global sporting institution, while remaining rooted in Bengaluru and Karnataka and its incredible fanbase. We are committed to the people who built this championship-winning culture – the players, coaches, the leadership team, and the fans. We look forward to supporting the team as they take the pitch on Saturday to defend RCB’s title,” said Times Internet Limited’s Satyan Gajwani in a media note.
