United Spirits Restricted (USL), the Indian arm of London-based Diageo, introduced on Tuesday (24 March 2026) that it has utterly offered its stake in Royal Challengers Sports activities Non-public Restricted. Ltd. (RCSPL) to a consortium consisting of Aditya Birla Group. indian period The Group, Bolt Ventures and BXPE, a New York-based Blackstone non-public fairness technique, have agreed to an all-cash deal valued at $1.76 billion.
In response to a regulatory submitting ready by USL, RCSPL owns and operates the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise within the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Ladies’s Premier League (WPL).
Upon completion of this transaction, the consortium can have the correct to personal and function the IPL and WPL organizations via its possession curiosity in RCSPL. RCB staff is the reigning champion in each IPL and WPL.
The ladies’s staff gained their second trophy early final month, and the boys’s staff will start their title protection this Saturday (28 March 2026).
Hypothesis that RCB could be put up on the market had been rife ever because the June 4, 2025, gang violence exterior the M Chinnaswamy Stadium during which 11 folks have been killed through the staff’s title-winning celebrations. Tuesday’s announcement concludes a strategic overview of the RCSPL that USL started final November.
The transaction is topic to customary closing situations and the passable completion of authorized, regulatory and different approvals, together with from the Board of Management for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Competitors Board of India.
Praveen Someshwar, MD and CEO of USL, mentioned: “RCB has grown to turn out to be probably the most distinguished and commercially profitable franchise within the IPL and WPL. It has constructed a globally acknowledged model and a passionate fan base.”
“We’re enthusiastic about the way forward for RCB underneath the administration of the brand new homeowners. We consider that is in one of the best curiosity of the franchise and our stakeholders as the game enters a brand new part of progress in India and globally,” Someshwar added.
“We’re proud to be the custodians of RCB and are grateful for the franchise that USL and Diageo have constructed. RCB’s championship-winning tradition, deep ties to Bangalore and one of the crucial passionate fan bases in international sport make this an incredible alternative,” the acquisition consortium mentioned.
