In the event you need further proof that the Indian Premier League has become one of the world’s hottest sports properties in existence, you are receiving it in the form of two separate bidding wars.
Both the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals are reportedly up for sale, and they are generating a mountain of interest. Multiple reports suggest that RCB could fetch nearly $2 billion USD—a truly monster number!
Not that this in itself is staggering. Cricket club valuations have been rising for years. Interest in the game is at an all-time high, as evidenced by the IPL’s various broadcasting deals and the overall popularity of cricket betting online. In fact, as Trent from MTSB notes, cricket “offers gamblers more opportunities to make a wager than any other sport,” thanks in large part to a robust schedule that’s inundated with high-stakes matches throughout the year.
For example, look at India (the world’s biggest cricket market)’s schedule- their players are pretty much seen in action every month in some or the other format. And the mushrooming of T20 leagues has only made an already tight cricket calendar even more crowded.
Combine all this with the IPL’s preexisting global reach, and you get what we see now: billion-dollar valuations and purchases, with one big question to follow.
At Least One IPL Club Could Sell for $2 Billion
Though interest in purchasing RCB and RR was always going to be high, the entry of billionaire David Blitzer into the proceedings is the catalyst for rising bids.
The co-founder of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment already has stakes in prominent franchises like the Commanders (NFL), the Guardians (MLB), New Jersey Devils (NHL), Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) and Crystal Palace (EPL). And he’s now looking to add an IPL club to his portfolio. And Blitzer not the only one interested- his countryman Avram Glazer (who bought Man Utd two odd decades ago) has reportedly expressed interest as well.
The supposed $1.8 billion figure involved is starting to feel like a floor for RCB. As it stands, there appears to be a pair of heavily interested parties willing to put up that much money. Even if another contender doesn’t enter the fray, the group being spearheaded by Blitzer or Glazer may need to come up on their price point to edge out the other.
This isn’t to suggest we should rule out another party coming in hot. The IPL’s ownership rules currently prohibit anyone from having multiple ownership stakes. There are apparently a handful of investors in other clubs thinking about liquidating their current minority stakes to make a run at RCB. And if that happens, we could easily see the final purchase price crossing the $2 billion threshold.
This Bidding War is Proof the IPL May Be Ready for Expansion
That brings us to the big question: Shouldn’t this latest bidding war mean the IPL is ready to expand upon its number of active clubs?
This is not a novel inquiry. Many have wondered for years whether the IPL would increase the number of franchises from the current 20. For some reason, though, it does not appear to be a huge priority.
Critics of expansion tend to believe that the IPL already has too many clubs. They, in turn, see expansion as a maneuver that will dilute the pool of talent. And this, they believe, will lead to lower interest levels among fans and inevitably sinking franchise valuations.
Make no bones about it, this is a valid concern. But it loses a little bit of luster when we’re about to see a pair of franchises get sold for more than $1 billion apiece, with one of them potentially exchanging hands for $2 billion or more.
Opposing stances of expansion ring hollower still when the IPL has looked at expanding upon its 94-match schedule. No matter where you turn, it seems as if there is a demand for more exposure to the IPL, not less of it.
Other factors come into play, too. Whether the IPL has enough star power to float an additional, say, two clubs is debatable. But the notion itself is hardly farfetched.
That leaves us wondering whether the sale of RCB and RR could be the nudge IPL needs to look at adding teams to its docket. The sales are expected to be finalized by the end of March 2026. If one of them culminates in a purchase price exceeding $2 billion, it’s time to start thinking about adding to the 20-club pool.
Frankly, even if RGB’s valuation tops out at $1.8 billion, it’s probably time for the expansion conversation to accelerate anyway.