Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have no immediate plans to invest in franchises across overseas T20 leagues, according to co-owner Satyan Gajwani. The IPL champions are instead focusing on strengthening fan engagement and consolidating their position as one of cricket’s most popular brands.
In March, a consortium comprising the Aditya Birla Group, Times of India, Bolt Ventures and Blackstone acquired RCB for $1.78 billion, bringing an end to United Spirits’ long association with the franchise.
Other IPL teams, including Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders, have already established a presence in overseas competitions such as Major League Cricket in the United States, SA20 in South Africa, ILT20 in the UAE and the Caribbean Premier League. RCB, however, seem content to adopt a more measured strategy before exploring international expansion.
“Don’t think we have any plans as of now. We’re a bit ahead of ourselves as we’re still focusing on closing the transaction and then thinking about where we’re going from there. I think RCB as a brand is very centred around Bengaluru and around cricket,”
Gajwani noted the franchise’s immediate priority is to enhance its core operations and deepen engagement with its fan base rather than pursue new markets, while acknowledging RCB’s potential to grow as a global cricket brand.
“The RCB brand warrants a global presence, which could manifest through on-ground academies or potential expansion into franchise cricket and other markets. It’s still undecided how or whether we want to pursue that,”
The RCB men’s team ended a 17-year wait for an IPL title last season and successfully defended the championship in 2026. Their women’s team has also achieved notable success, winning the Women’s Premier League titles in 2024 and 2026. Gajwani emphasized that the consortium’s immediate focus is on improving fan engagement beyond the IPL’s two-month season and addressing ticketing challenges at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which has a seating capacity of just 33,800.
“One of the issues we face is the stadium’s limited capacity and the difficulty of selling tickets for RCB matches. Hopefully, we’ll find ways to expand the stadium and attract more fans,”
