The third most valued Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise—Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)—has closed the gap to being the biggest brand amid its peers with its historic win in the 2025 edition of the tournament.
"RCB's maiden title is a big moment in the franchise’s journey. It adds legitimacy to a brand that already had one of the strongest emotional and fan-driven connections in the league. Its value should soar—but RCB’s brand was never just about titles. The star power and cult-like fan base had already secured them major sponsorships and attention; this win only strengthens the foundation," said Santosh N, managing partner of D&P Advisory, a valuation service provider.
However,RCB immediately surpassing Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) is unlikely, he added. "These brands are the product of years of consistent performance, loyalty and legacy, though RCB has surely closed the gap."
Last year, the team's brand value was up by 67 percent over 2023 to $117 million, according to brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance's report released last year in December.
CSK, MI, RCB and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) surpassed the $100-million mark in brand value for the first time last year with CSK emerging as the most valued team with its brand value up 52 percent to $122 million from 2023.
"One difference between RCB and CSK, MI was that RCB hadn't won the tournament. No title win was the only thing which was slightly against them but now it is a level playing field and expect its brand value to be at par with the top teams," said Anant Arora, founder, OneByTwo Entertainment.
On the other hand, influencer marketing firm Qoruz estimates RCB's value to surpass that of CSK and MI this year due to the maiden IPL title win.
"After years of near-misses and meme-fuelled heartbreak, Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s long-awaited IPL title win may now trigger a business milestone as well. RCB’s brand value is projected to soar past $140 million, positioning it to become the most valuable IPL franchise in 2025," the platform said.
Now, backed by a trophy, a projected 20 percent year-on-year brand value increase and unmatched social media firepower, the team looks poised to overtake its rivals, it added.
According to Qoruz data, RCB continues to assert its dominance off the field with staggering numbers across social media platforms.
On Instagram, the team leads the IPL pack with 21.5 million followers, averaging 4.8 million views per reel and over 385,000 likes per post. With an engagement rate of 5.80 percent, RCB’s content isn’t just being seen, it’s being loved, shared and celebrated, making it one of the most culturally connected sports brands in the country.
On YouTube, RCB boasts a community of over 5.3 million subscribers and a library of over 4,000 videos, spanning behind-the-scenes footage, player stories and fan content. With an average of 180,500 views per video, the team’s long-form storytelling strategy has helped deepen fan engagement beyond just match-day moments.
RCB also led the IPL social media buzz with 74,600 mentions by influencers across Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube, ahead of MI at 22,300 and CSK at 19,200, as per data till June 3, 2025. RCB also recorded a massive 16.2 percent engagement rate, the highest among all teams. With the IPL final just concluded, this momentum is expected to surge even further in coming days, Qoruz expects.
"After 18 seasons, RCB has finally done it. They’ve won the IPL, at last. And watching (Virat) Kohli, teary-eyed in the final overs, was emotional, not just for fans, but for anyone who’s followed this team’s journey. But here’s what people often miss. RCB has been winning off the field for years now. They figured out early that they’re not just a cricket team. They’re a brand. A lifestyle. While most teams show up for two months and then disappear, RCB stays in the spotlight year-round," said Praanesh Bhuvaneswar, co-founder and CEO, Qoruz.
The Puma jersey collaboration made their merch aspirational, he added. "The RCB Bar & Cafe gave fans a place to belong. They launched the RCB Innovation Lab to push India’s sports tech narrative. And even something like Hustle by RCB, their fitness content initiative, shows how deeply they understand community and consistency."
This win is historic but even without it, the franchise had created a blueprint for building a fan-first brand in sports, Bhuvaneswar added.
The team's historic IPL victory is more than a sporting milestone—it’s a transformative moment for the franchise's brand equity, said N Chandramouli, CEO of TRA Research, a consumer analytics and brand insights company.
"With a surge in national sentiment and an emboldened fan base, RCB’s brand value is expected to climb sharply, consolidating its position among the league’s most marketable teams. This momentum positions RCB to potentially rival the longstanding dominance of CSK and MI in brand valuation, while opening new revenue and partnership avenues," he added.
The win will attract new sponsors and strengthen existing partnerships, as brands will seek to associate with RCB's success and loyal fan base, noted Shazmeen Kara, managing director, Prolithic, a talent management agency which has former cricketer Yuvraj Singh as mentor.
"We expect a significant spike in merchandise sales, leveraging RCB's massive fan following and iconic jerseys. Earlier, brands loved RCB for the glamour, now they'll back them for results too," she said.
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