"I think it’s already as big as the NBA."
The IPL has reached a historic milestone as United States investors secured two separate billion-dollar deals recently.
No team in the league ever sold for over one billion dollars until this massive double deal was announced.
A consortium backed by US businessmen Kal Somani and Rob Walton agreed to buy the Rajasthan Royals team first.
This particular transaction was valued by various Indian media outlets at a staggering 1.63 billion dollars.
That record was broken only hours later when another even bigger deal was revealed for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
The reigning champions were purchased for 1.78 billion dollars by a consortium including the firm Blackstone.
US billionaire David Blitzer’s Bolt Ventures is also a major part of this group, acquiring the popular Bengaluru franchise.
Cricketing legend Sourav Ganguly shared his thoughts on the massive valuation during a recent meeting with the local reporters.
“It’s mind-boggling numbers. But great news for Indian cricket and the way forward. I think it’s already as big as the NBA.”
The current valuations for these two teams mark a significant jump from their original sales back in 2008.
Back then, the liquor baron Vijay Mallya bought the Bengaluru team for only 111 million dollars.
Rajasthan Royals sold for even less at 67 million dollars during the first-ever auction of the league.
Private equity deals across various sports leagues have jumped significantly in recent years, according to recent professional analyst reports.
David Blitzer described the league as “one of the great growth stories in global sport” in a public statement.
Kumar Mangalam Birla, who is the chairman of Aditya Birla Group, also shared his vision for the cricket franchise.
“Over the past two decades, the IPL has morphed to become a global sporting powerhouse that has changed the face of Indian cricket, creating enormous value for India.”
He added that the Bengaluru team offers a distinctive platform to extend their legacy into the arena of sport.
The 2025 title was the first for the team, but celebrations turned tragic due to a crowd crush.
At least eleven people died at the stadium during the event, which the local authorities described as a tragedy.
The new ownership consortium will now bring in a completely reformed management team for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise.
Aditya Birla director Aryaman Vikram Birla will serve as the chairman of the team under the new ownership structure.
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