IPL champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s triumph turns turbulent: Owners Diageo consider sale amid tragedy and scrutiny

Dubai: Just a week after lifting their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) could be on the verge of a major shake-up — including a possible change in ownership.

According to a report by NDTV, Diageo Plc, the British beverage company that owns RCB through its Indian arm United Spirits Ltd, is exploring a partial or full sale of the franchise. Sources said the discussions come in the wake of the brand’s renewed visibility and market value following the long-awaited title win in 2025 — a breakthrough that ended an 18-year drought.

While there has been no official word on the franchise’s valuation, Bloomberg reported that a full sale could fetch as much as $2 billion (approximately Rs168,340 million). Diageo is said to be in early talks with potential advisers, exploring ways to monetise RCB’s success and simplify its global operations.

Shares of United Spirits spiked as much as 3.3% on Tuesday morning following the report — hitting a five-month high. However, no final decision on the sale has been made yet.

RCB’s historic IPL win brought jubilation across the country, particularly among fans of Virat Kohli — one of the sport’s most-followed figures globally. But the joy was short-lived. A celebratory event held at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday turned tragic, when a stampede claimed 11 lives and injured at least 50 others.

According to multiple media reports, the chaos unfolded when thousands of fans rushed through various gates to enter the venue. Overcrowding slowed down emergency response, with ambulances struggling to reach hospitals through congested roads.

The incident sparked outrage and led to FIRs being filed against RCB, the event management company DNA Entertainment, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). RCB has since moved the Karnataka High Court to quash the FIR. Meanwhile, the franchise’s marketing head, Nikhil Sosale, has been arrested, and two KSCA officials resigned after victims’ families petitioned the court.

While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) clarified that the event was entirely organised by RCB, the board is under pressure to act. “At some stage, BCCI will have to do something. We cannot be a silent spectator,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told Cricbuzz.

In the wake of the tragedy, social media has been rife with speculation about a potential ban on RCB for the 2026 season. An unverified post by X handle @IPL2025auction claimed that RCB “may face a one-year ban from IPL 2026 if found responsible for safety lapses”. While there is no official confirmation, authorities are said to be investigating the matter seriously.

RCB was originally bought in 2008 by fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, then-owner of Kingfisher Airlines. After his business empire collapsed, Diageo took control of United Spirits and, by extension, RCB.

Despite having star-studded squads featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Faf du Plessis, RCB remained titleless until this season. Nevertheless, it became one of the most followed IPL teams on social media, with a global fanbase that has remained fiercely loyal through years of heartbreak.

Now, after finally conquering the IPL, the franchise faces its most uncertain chapter yet — a legal, corporate, and public-relations battle that could reshape its future.