RCB Sale Officially Starts, Diageo Sets Price at INR 18000 Crore

IPL 2025: Finally RCB Winning Indian Premier League Title in its 18th Edition to give perfect Tribute to Number 18 Virat Kohli

February 3, 2026

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RCB Sale Officially Starts, Diageo Sets Price at INR 18000 Crore

The long wait is finally over for those watching the cricket business world. The RCB sale officially starts today. This is not just a rumor anymore. It is real. The owners of the team, Diageo, have started the work to sell the team. They have sent out the official papers to people who want to buy the team. This is a very big step. It means that one of the most expensive teams in the IPL is now ready to be sold.

The RCB sale officially starts with a clear plan. Diageo owns the team through their Indian company called United Spirits. They have decided that it is time to let the team go. To do this, they have shared the “books” with potential buyers. When companies sell a business, sending out the books is the first real sign of action. It shows that they are serious. The RCB sale officially starts now because these documents are in the hands of rich investors who might become the new owners.

What Does “Sending Out Books” Mean?

You might wonder what it means when we say the RCB sale officially starts because books were sent. In the business world, this “book” is called a Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM). It is not a storybook. It is a report. This report is usually between 30 to 150 pages long. It has all the secrets and numbers about the business.

When the RCB sale officially starts, the sellers give this book to buyers. The book tells the buyers how much money the team makes. It tells them about the players. It tells them about the brand. This helps the buyers decide how much money they should offer. Since the RCB sale officially starts with this step, it means the buyers are now reading these reports. They are calculating their money. They are getting ready to make a bid.

The Massive INR 18,000 Crore Valuation

The most shocking part of this news is the price. Reports say that the team is worth a lot of money. The RCB valuation INR 18,000 crore is the number everyone is talking about. In US dollars, this is close to $2 billion. This is a huge amount of money for a cricket team.

Why is the price so high? There are many reasons. First, the team won the IPL title in 2025. Winning the cup makes the team more valuable. Second, the team has Virat Kohli. He is the most famous cricket star in India. He brings in a lot of ads and money. Because of these things, the RCB valuation INR 18,000 crore seems real to many experts.

When the RCB sale officially starts, the buyers know they have to pay a high price. The brand of Royal Challengers Bengaluru is very strong. They sell many shirts. They have many sponsors. This commercial power is why the RCB valuation INR 18,000 crore is being floated in the market. Diageo knows they have a special asset. They want to get the best price possible now that the RCB sale officially starts.

Diageo and United Spirits Lead the Way

Diageo is a big company. They sell drinks all over the world. In India, they work through a company called United Spirits. United Spirits has been the owner of RCB for a long time. But now, they want to sell. They have hired a bank called Citigroup to help them. Citigroup is the advisor. Their job is to find the best buyer and get the best price.

Since the RCB sale officially starts, Citigroup is very busy. They are talking to rich people. They are talking to big investment firms. They are handling the RCB valuation INR 18,000 crore discussions. The process is moving fast. United Spirits wants to finish this sale quickly. They have a deadline. They want to sell the team before the next IPL season begins. The IPL 2026 season starts on March 26. This means they have only a few months to finish the deal.

Celebrity Interest in the RCB Sale

As the RCB sale officially starts, many famous people are showing interest. Everyone wants to own a piece of this team. The RCB valuation INR 18,000 crore is high, but that has not stopped rich people from looking.

One big name is Adar Poonawalla. He is the CEO of the Serum Institute of India. He is a very rich businessman. He posted on a social media app called X that he wants to buy the team. He said he would place a “strong and competitive bid.” This means he is ready to pay good money. His interest confirms that the RCB sale officially starts with big players in the game.

But he is not the only one. Bollywood stars are also looking. Reports say that Anushka Sharma and Ranbir Kapoor want to buy shares in the team. They might not buy the whole team, but they want a small part.

Why is Diageo Selling RCB?

You might ask why Diageo wants to sell. The team is winning. The team makes money. So, why sell? The RCB sale officially starts because Diageo has new business plans.

Diageo is a company that sells alcohol. They want to focus on that business. They feel that a cricket team is not their main job. They call it a “non-core asset.” This means it is extra stuff they do not need. United Spirits told the government (SEBI) in November that they were reviewing the team. Now, that review is done, and the RCB sale officially starts.

The Stampede Incident

There is another reason for the sale. It is a sad reason. Last year, after RCB won the IPL 2025 title, there was a big party. The fans went to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to celebrate. But things went wrong. There was a stampede. A stampede happens when too many people run and push each other.

Sadly, a number of people died in this incident. This was a tragedy. Diageo was very upset by this. They worry about their reputation. They do not want legal problems. They do not want to be blamed for such sad events. This incident made them feel that owning a cricket team is risky. So, they decided to leave. This is a big reason why the RCB sale officially startsnow.

The Timeline for the Sale

The clock is ticking. The RCB sale officially starts in February, but it must end soon. The new season of IPL is coming. IPL 2026 is set to begin on March 26. Diageo wants to be out before the first ball is bowled.

They want to find a buyer, sign the papers, and get the money by the end of March. This is a very short time. Usually, these deals take months. But because the RCB sale officially starts with the books already out, they hope to move fast. Citigroup is working hard to meet this deadline.

Private Equity and Investors

Besides the actors and Adar Poonawalla, other people are looking too. Private equity firms are companies that buy businesses to make them better and sell them later. They are interested in the RCB valuation INR 18,000 crore.

High-net-worth individuals are also in the mix. These are super-rich people who have a lot of cash. They see RCB as a trophy. Owning an IPL team is a matter of pride. Now that the RCB sale officially starts, these rich people are checking their bank accounts. They want to see if they can afford the RCB valuation INR 18,000 crore.

Additional Details on the Sale Process

The process of selling a team is not simple. After the books are sent, the buyers will send a “non-binding bid.” This is like a rough offer. It says, “I might pay this much.”

Then, Diageo and Citigroup will pick the best offers. They will invite those buyers to a “data room.” A data room is a place (usually online) where even more secrets are kept. The buyers can look at every contract and every receipt.

After that, the buyers will send a “binding bid.” This is the final offer. It says, “I promise to pay this much.” Then, the best one wins.

Since the RCB sale officially starts now, we are at the first step. The books are out. The rough offers will come next. Then the final offers. All of this must happen before March. It is a very tight schedule. But with INR 18,000 crore at stake, everyone will work fast.

The RCB sale officially starts with high energy. The team has just won a title. The value is at its peak. The stars are aligned for a big sale.

Diageo has taken the formal step of sending out the Information Memorandums. The RCB valuation INR 18,000 crore has been set as the benchmark. With celebrity interest from Anushka Sharma, Ranbir Kapoor, and business tycoons like Adar Poonawalla, the competition is fierce. The deadline is March 26, just before the new season. The RCB sale officially starts, and the cricket world is waiting to see who the new boss will be.