Vijay Mallya, former owner of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, took to X to mock his critics after his former team was sold for a staggering Rs 16,500 crore on Tuesday, March 24. The Bengaluru-based franchise has been bought by a high-profile consortium led by the partnership of India’s Aditya The Times Group and Bolt Group.
Mallya revealed that when he initially bought the franchise for Rs 450 crore in 2008, many criticized and laughed at his decision to invest in the cricket team, calling it a vanity project. Taking a victory lap on Thursday, March 26, Mallya said it was extremely gratifying to see his “madness” grow nearly 37 times to Rs 16,500 crore.
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“I would like to heartily congratulate the new owners of RCB. I wish them all the best and Godspeed with the most valuable IPL franchise. When I bought the franchise for INR 450 million in 2008, most people laughed at me and criticized my investment as a vanity project. Behind my much vaunted madness was building the Vchy Malfranise IPL franchise and I wrote that IX
“I am extremely happy to see my investment of INR 450 million grow to INR 16,500 million. RCB will always remain a part of my DNA with indelible memories, including the selection of a young Virat Kohli who is now among the best in the world. To all RCB fans who have come on board during my stewardship and beyond,” he thanks L. Namaskar and continues to thank him for his support. concluded.
IPL: SALE OF RCB AND RR
The winning bid for RCB was led by Aditya Birla Group headed by Kumar Mangalam Birla in association with The Tech Word News Group. Bolt Ventures, led by American sports investor David Blitzer, and global private equity giant Blackstone Inc. are also part of the consortium.
The acquisition was part of a historic double day for the IPL, with Rajasthan Royals also being sold for US$1.63 billion to a US consortium led by businessman Kal Somani, reportedly backed by Walton and Ford family interests.
However, the RCB deal remains subject to regulatory approval from the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Competition Commission of India. It represents a significant transition from the previous owners, United Spirits Limited, a subsidiary of Diageo, which previously designated the franchise as a non-core asset.
The sale reflects the IPL’s expanding financial ecosystem, with the league’s total valuation recently estimated at $18.5 billion, driven by growing revenue, sponsorships and media rights.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
March 26, 2026 08:32 IST
