Sports Business: RCB takes over from CSK as most valuable IPL team; league’s brand value grows to $18.5 billion | Cricket News

Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their maiden IPL title earlier this year.

Global investment bank Houlihan Lokey’s latest IPL Brand Valuation Study reveals the Indian Premier League‘s (IPL) value has grown to US$18.5 billion, marking a 12.9% increase. The report states the newly crowned champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have become the most valuable franchise at US$269 million, while the IPL’s standalone brand value jumped 13.8% to US$3.9 billion.The league’s growing appeal is evident in its sponsorship deals. The BCCI’s sale of four associate-sponsor slots brought in ₹1,485 crores, up 25% from before. The Tata Group also extended its title sponsorship through 2028 with a US$300 million deal.

Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Viewership numbers hit new heights in 2025. The opening weekend saw JioHotstar recording 1,370 million views with 340 million peak concurrent viewers. TV viewership on Star Sports reached 253 million unique viewers. The final match between RCB and Punjab Kings broke records with 67.8 crore views.RCB top franchise listIn the franchise rankings, RCB topped the list after winning their first title in 17 years. Mumbai Indians moved up to second place with US$242 million, while defending champions Chennai Super Kings dropped to third at US$235 million. Punjab Kings showed the highest growth at 39.6%.PBKS CEO Satish Menon shared his perspective: “From day one, we saw IPL as more than a cricket league—it was a scalable business model with high visibility, secure revenue streams, and strong brand-building potential.”The remaining teams were ranked as follows: Kolkata Knight Riders (US$227 million), Sunrisers Hyderabad (US$154 million), Delhi Capitals (US$152 million), Rajasthan Royals (US$146 million), Gujarat Titans (US$142 million), Punjab Kings (US$141 million), and Lucknow Super Giants (US$122 million).

IPL franchises brand values