Aditya Birla Group confirms NO NAME CHANGE plans after RCB takeover

Published - 26 Mar 2026, 11:26 AM | Updated - 26 Mar 2026, 11:27 AM

Ananya Birla and RCB. Image Credit: X

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There has been huge buzz ever since Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) was sold in one of the biggest deals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) history. A powerful consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group has taken full control of the franchise for a massive USD 1.78 billion.

This deal made Royal Challengers Bengaluru the most expensive IPL team ever. Apart from the Aditya Birla Group, big global investors like Blackstone’s BXPE, Bolt Ventures, and the Times of India Group invested massively. Soon after the takeover, one big question exploded among fans: Will RCB get a new name?

The name ‘Royal Challengers Bengaluru’ will remain the same: Ananya Birla

The Bengaluru-based side has been part of the IPL since 2008 and finally lifted its first-ever trophy in 2025. With a new ownership group stepping in, many wondered if the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s identity would change, like its name.

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But Ananya Birla has a clear message for the loyal RCB fanbase. Ananya Birla shared an Insta story which reads: “RCB is sold for 16705 crores. A consortium of Aditya Birla Group, David Blitzer, and Blackstone has acquired the RCB. The good news is as per the reports, the Aditya Birla Group has confirmed that the name ‘Royal Challengers Bengaluru’ will remain the same.”

United Spirits hands over its entire legacy after 16 years

Meanwhile, this historic deal also includes the women’s side in the Women’s Premier League. With this takeover, the consortium now holds the complete rights to run one of the most followed cricket teams in the world in both men’s and women’s.

The sale also marked the end of United Spirits Limited’s long association with the Bengaluru-based franchise, closing a major chapter that began in 2008. They said in an official statement: “United Spirits Limited, pursuant to the meeting of its Board of Directors, today announced that it has entered into definitive agreements for the sale of the 100 percent equity stake held in its wholly owned subsidiary Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL) to a consortium.”

The USL statement added: “The consortium comprises Aditya Birla Group (ABG), The Times of India Group (Times), Bolt Ventures (Bolt), and Blackstone's perpetual private equity strategy, BXPE (Blackstone), for a total consideration of INR 166.6 bn in an all-cash transaction.

RCSPL owns and operates the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchises that participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Women's Premier League (WPL). Upon completion of this transaction, the consortium will, through its ownership of RCSPL, acquire the rights to own and operate the IPL and WPL franchise.”

Vijay Mallya celebrates RCB’s record-breaking rise

On the other hand, former Royal Challengers Bengaluru owner Vijay Mallya took a cheeky dig at his critics after the franchise was sold for a massive ₹16,500 crore.

Mallya revealed that when he bought the team for just ₹450 crore in 2008, many people mocked him and said he was wasting money on a “show-off project.”

Now, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru's value shooting up nearly 37 times, Mallya celebrated the moment, saying it felt satisfying to see his “madness” grow into such a huge success.

I would like to heartily congratulate the new owners of RCB. I wish them the very best and Godspeed with the most valuable IPL franchise. When I bought the franchise in 2008 for INR 450 crores, most people laughed at me and criticised my investment as a vanity project. Behind my…
— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) March 26, 2026