RCB sale was expected after the June 4 stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium
Cricket and commerce, it is a holy mix. When the Indian Premier League began in 2008, teams were unsure what lay in store. Profit was not the main reason they were getting into this stuff. Somewhere down the line, well after a massive scandal broke out involving Chennai Super Kings, the IPL was rocked, big time.
However, in the last four years, notably, the IPL has flourished. It has shown, even the dark days of the Covid pandemic will not stop it. India was unsafe, so the event was moved to Dubai, four years back, when cricket was played in a Bio Bubble. Now the IPL is so big, dates of it are planned are sorted if it clashes with the General Elections, which was the case in 2014 and 2019.
Today, news of the RCB team ‘up’ for sale has made people sit up and take notice. Royal Challengers Bangalore, the original name of the team, has been in existence from 2008. In terms of brand value, a massive fan base and strong connect with fans, the team is thriving. And that, despite not having won the IPL till 2025. How fast things changed when RCB won the title.
As if cursed, when the RCB celebrations happened in Bengaluru on June 4, 2025, a stampede took place outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Eleven fans were killed and over 50 injured. Unofficially, the numbers are on the higher side. But what happened was a massive tragedy. Images of footwear strewn around and celebrations inside the stadium reflected chaos and zero respect for human lives.
Who was responsible for this mess, loss of lives and tears, the blame games continue. What it did was, RCB and its owners came in for copious flak. An apology did not suffice nor did a payment as well. To dish out Rs 25 lakhs each to the 11 families killed was seen as pittance. From that day, the RCB think-tank has been haunted.
On Wednesday, when news broke out, RCB was going to be ‘sold,’ there was a sense of disbelief. For fans, RCB sale means so much. What people do not understand is, this is not the first time a ‘sale’ is happening or a change in ownership. Teams from Hyderabad and Delhi have seen changes, as well as the Punjab side. The valuation figures for RCB are not verified, some say it could be as high as $ 2 billion, which is what Diageo is seeking. It is believed they will sell entire stakes in the two teams, men and women in the IPL and WPL.
Do not be surprised, there are folks interested in buying RCB, a sale which will go through in a transparent manner, with the legalities sorted. For the common RCB fan, why worry. The team name may change but the ethos should not. And an even bigger worry, does their talismanic star Virat Kohli move? No, that will never happen, King Kohli is 100 per cent an RCB guy. It is a bit like how MS Dhoni is still with the Chennai Super Kings, despite the team doing badly in 2025. During the 2025 IPL, Dhoni had taken over captaincy again, and even remarked, even if he was on a wheelchair, the CSK management will ensure he plays.
In the case of RCB, Virat Kohli will be there in the IPL, even as he has restricted himself to just one format in international cricket, the ODIs. The two are inseparable, Kohli and the Bengaluru outfit. A lot will change before the 2026 IPL. However, the fan base should not worry, it will be similar faces for sure. At least, that is the belief now.
