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Adar Poonawalla rumoured to buy RCB as it is put on sale
Diageo, the owner of the franchisee, has officially put Royal Challengers Bengaluru up for sale, six months after the team secured the first-ever Indian Premier League title.
In an exchange filing sent to the exchanges on Wednesday, Diageo's Indian subsidiary, United Spirits Ltd. (USL), announced it is initiating a "Strategic Review" of its investment in its wholly-owned subsidiary, Royal Challengers Sports Pvt Ltd (RCSPL).
The sports company expects the process to conclude by March 31, 2026.
Poonawalla's tweet sparks rumour of him planning to buy RCB
Amid the announcement, reports have come to light that Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India, is planning to buy the team.
"At the right valuation, @RCBTweets is a great team", Poonawalla even hinted in a recent post on X.
At the right valuation, @RCBTweets is a great team…
— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) October 1, 2025
RCB is among the IPL’s original franchises and has proven to be one of its most valuable teams over the years.
Global investment bank Houlihan Lokey ranked RCB as the most valuable IPL franchise earlier this year, estimating its worth at around $269 million, right after the team’s first-ever IPL championship victory.
The franchise also owns a Women’s Premier League (WPL) team, with an expanded brand presence in Indian cricket.
USL Managing Director and CEO Praveen Someshwar shared that the review is part of the company’s ongoing effort to focus on its core alcoholic beverages business. “RCSPL has been a valuable and strategic asset for USL. However, it’s non-core to our alcobev business,” he said. “This step reinforces USL’s and Diageo’s commitment to continue reviewing its India enterprise portfolio to enable sustained delivery of long-term value to all its stakeholders, while keeping RCSPL’s best interest in mind.”
According to reports, USL and Diageo may divest fully or partially from the franchise. United Spirits is strategically streamlining operations while prioritising its main liquor business, where it holds the largest market share in India.