'Owners have finally decided' - Former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi claims RCB is up for sale

The year 2025 has been a rollercoaster for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), marked by highs and lows that captured global attention. The franchise celebrated its maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title earlier this year, ending a long-standing trophy drought.

However, the celebrations were marred by tragedy when a stampede in Bengaluru claimed 11 lives and left several others injured. Speculation over the team’s future has now intensified. Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has claimed that the current owners, Diageo Plc, have decided to sell the franchise.

“It seems the owners have finally decided to take it off their balance sheet and sell it. I am sure having won the IPL last season and also with its strong base of fans and off course the Team itself and a great management team - it could be the only Team which would be available as a whole as an ipl franchise,” wrote Modi on X.

“One of the Big Global funds or a Sovereign Fund would desperately like to have them as part of their investment strategy and India strategy. There can be no better investment opportunity I could think of then this one. Good luck to whoever can get their hands on to it.  It definitely will set a new record valuation which will just go to show that IPL is the not only the fastest growing Global Sporting league but also the most valuable. That new price that #rcb sets will become the new floor price for all teams,” he added.

The reports of RCB being on the market have surfaced before, with media outlets previously suggesting that Diageo Plc was in talks with prospective buyers. With Modi now confirming the owners’ decision to sell, the IPL world eagerly awaits to see who might take over one of its most popular and successful franchises.

If the sale goes through, it could reshape the IPL landscape, potentially setting a new benchmark for franchise valuations and further cementing the league’s status as a global sporting powerhouse.