RCB Put On Sale; Adar Poonawalla Interested: Report
United Spirits Ltd (USL) has officially commenced a strategic review of its investment in Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL), the entity that owns Indian Premier League (IPL) side Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise, the company announced in a stock exchange filing. RCSPL holds ownership of the RCB teams that compete in both the men’s Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Women’s Premier League (WPL), both overseen annually by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). RCB are the current champions of IPL which they won for the first time.
The review process of the sale is expected to conclude by March 31, 2026, reports said.
Praveen Someshwar, Managing Director and CEO of USL, stated that while RCSPL has been a valuable and strategic asset for the company, it is “non-core” to their alcoholic beverages business. This move underscores USL’s and its parent company Diageo’s commitment to continuously reviewing their portfolio in India to ensure long-term value creation for stakeholders, while also considering the best interests of RCSPL.
Earlier in September, industry sources revealed that Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India and who is also famous as India’s vaccine king, had shown interest in acquiring the RCB IPL franchise. Talks were reportedly underway between Poonawalla and United Spirits. Media reports at that time suggested Diageo was seeking a valuation of about 2 billion US dollars for the franchise. Following these reports, Poonawalla acknowledged on the social platform X that “At the right valuation, RCB is a great team,” signalling his openness to the acquisition.
Adar Poonawalla, who is aiming to expand his footprint in various sectors, recently acquired a 50% stake in Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions through his company Serene Productions in a Rs 1000 crore deal. Karan Johar retains creative control as Executive Chairman, while Apoorva Mehta remains CEO. The partnership aims to expand content production and explore new digital ventures.
This strategic review and possible sale of RCB reflect the broader trend of business realignment by large corporations, with Diageo focusing more intensely on its core alcoholic beverages operations. For cricket fans and stakeholders, the prospect of a change in ownership for one of IPL’s most iconic franchises raises questions about the future direction and management of the team.
The timing of the review also aligns with RCB’s heightened profile after their recent IPL 2025 championship victory, which could have contributed to the franchise’s elevated valuation and appeal to prospective buyers. With RCB commanding one of the league’s largest fan bases and brand values (especially with the presence of Virat Kohli and its its home Bengaluru), the strategic review is closely watched by investors, fans, and cricket analysts alike.
