Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have retained their position as the most valuable franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL), becoming the first cricket team to cross the $300 million brand value milestone.

According to the latest report by global investment bank Houlihan Lokey, RCB’s brand value has reached $312 million, while the IPL’s overall business value has grown to $20.6 billion, reflecting another year of strong commercial growth.

RCB Cross Historic $300 Million Mark

RCB recorded a 16% increase in brand value over the past year, rising from $269 million in 2025 to $312 million in 2026.

The Bengaluru-based franchise also created history by becoming the first cricket team to surpass the $300 million brand value mark.

Earlier this year, RCB also witnessed a change in ownership after a consortium comprising Blackstone, Bolt Ventures, the Aditya Birla Group and the Times of India Group acquired the franchise at a valuation of $1.78 billion.

IPL Business Value Crosses $20 Billion

The Houlihan Lokey report estimates that the IPL’s overall business value has increased from $18.5 billion to $20.6 billion over the past 12 months.

The 11.4% growth marks the league’s second consecutive year of double-digit growth, highlighting the IPL’s continued expansion as one of the world’s biggest sporting properties.

According to Harsh Talikoti, Director at Houlihan Lokey’s Financial and Valuation Advisory business, institutional investment and global ownership continue to accelerate cricket’s growth.

Mumbai Indians, KKR and CSK Follow RCB

While RCB lead the rankings, Mumbai Indians remain second with a brand value of $264 million, reflecting a 9.1% increase from last year.

Kolkata Knight Riders occupy third position with a brand value of $245 million, followed closely by Chennai Super Kings at $244 million.

CSK’s valuation grew by 3.8% over the previous year.

RCB Owners Highlight Fan Base Strength

RCB chairman and Times Internet chairman Satyan Gajwani credited the franchise’s passionate supporters for its continued commercial success.

According to him, RCB’s fan engagement and emotional connection with supporters make the franchise unique within the IPL ecosystem.

He also expressed confidence in cricket’s long-term global growth, describing franchise ownership as an attractive long-term investment.

Punjab Kings Co-Owner Explains IPL’s Rising Value

Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia believes IPL franchises are no longer viewed simply as cricket teams.

Instead, he said they are increasingly being recognised as long-term sports and entertainment businesses capable of generating enormous audiences, sponsorship revenue and fan engagement.

Wadia also pointed out that, on a per-match basis, IPL media rights now compare favourably with some of the biggest sporting leagues in the world despite the tournament being only 18 years old.

Full IPL Franchise Brand Value Rankings

Rajasthan Royals and Other Franchises Continue to Grow

Sunrisers Hyderabad climbed to fifth with a brand value of $168 million, while Rajasthan Royals ranked sixth at $161 million after their reported acquisition by the Mittal family and Adar Poonawalla at a valuation of $1.65 billion.

Punjab Kings followed closely at $158 million, ahead of Gujarat Titans ($157 million) and Delhi Capitals ($156 million).

Lucknow Super Giants completed the rankings in tenth place with a brand value of $122 million, unchanged from last year.

The latest report underlines the IPL’s growing commercial strength, with franchise values and league revenues continuing to rise year after year.

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Punjab Kings may have fallen short of lifting their maiden IPL trophy after reaching the final, but assistant coach Brad Haddin believes the franchise has finally built the foundation required for sustained success.

After years of inconsistency, Punjab underwent a major reset with Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer at the centre of the new setup. Haddin believes clarity in recruitment, faith in young Indian players and a strong team environment were crucial to the turnaround.

Punjab Kings Built Their Squad for the Long Term

According to Haddin, Punjab approached the mega auction with a clear idea of the type of cricket they wanted to play.

Rather than simply chasing big names, the franchise considered both talent and character while identifying players who could fit into the environment.

The objective was also to build a core capable of staying together throughout the multi-year IPL cycle.

That strategy was reflected in Punjab’s investment in young Indian players such as Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya and Nehal Wadhera.

The faith paid off as Punjab received significant contributions from their Indian batting group during their run to the final.

Ricky Ponting’s Influence Goes Beyond Tactics

Haddin highlighted Ponting’s ability to work closely with young players as one of Punjab’s biggest strengths.

While the former Australia captain brings enormous tactical experience, Haddin believes his genuine interest in individual players has helped create an environment where youngsters feel trusted.

That confidence allowed Punjab’s inexperienced players to express themselves rather than worrying about their positions in the team.

Shreyas Iyer Impressed From Day One

Haddin was particularly complimentary about captain Shreyas Iyer, saying his leadership qualities were visible from the beginning.

Apart from his batting ability and tactical awareness, Haddin identified Iyer’s relationship with the entire squad as one of his strongest qualities.

The captain remained involved not only with regular members of the playing XI but also with players waiting on the sidelines.

That approach helped create a united dressing room where every member of the squad felt involved in Punjab’s progress.

Iyer’s IPL Captaincy Record Stands Out

Shreyas’ record as a captain also strengthens his reputation as one of the IPL’s leading modern-day leaders.

He has taken Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings to IPL finals, demonstrating his ability to produce results in different environments.

For Haddin, however, the way Iyer handles people behind the scenes is just as important as his tactical decisions during matches.

Defending 111 Became a Defining Moment

One game in particular convinced the Punjab coaching staff about the character of their squad.

After scoring only 111 against Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab could easily have accepted that the match was slipping away.

Instead, there remained a genuine belief inside the team that the total could be defended.

That attitude became symbolic of Punjab’s season – regardless of the match situation, the players refused to believe they were out of the contest.

It came shortly after another extraordinary game in Hyderabad where Punjab had posted 245 but still ended up on the losing side following a sensational batting performance from Abhishek Sharma.

Haddin said the key during such dramatic swings was maintaining consistency rather than abandoning the team’s philosophy after one bad result.

Trust Remained Punjab’s Biggest Message

Punjab’s aggressive approach occasionally failed, including during the knockout stages.

But the coaching staff resisted the temptation to ask the young batting group to suddenly change its methods.

The message remained simple: trust the preparation.

Haddin believes players should not second-guess the style that brought them success simply because of one poor performance.

That philosophy allowed Punjab to continue playing fearless cricket even under the pressure of knockout matches.

What Happened With Josh Inglis?

Haddin also addressed the franchise’s decision to release Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis.

Inglis’ availability for parts of the tournament was uncertain, and Punjab ultimately decided they needed to structure their squad differently.

Haddin refused to speculate on whether Inglis would otherwise have been retained, explaining that the franchise could only make its decision using the information available at the time.

Inglis subsequently attracted significant interest at the auction before Lucknow Super Giants acquired him for INR 8.60 crore.

How Punjab Kings Use Data

Data has also become an important part of Punjab’s preparation, but Haddin stressed that statistics are treated as a tool rather than the foundation of every coaching decision.

Different players consume information differently.

Some prefer detailed statistical analysis, while others benefit from shorter conversations and simpler instructions.

For Punjab’s coaching staff, the challenge is identifying what information each individual actually needs rather than overwhelming every player with numbers.

Punjab Wary of Standing Still

Following a breakthrough campaign, Punjab now face another challenge – ensuring opposition teams don’t work out their methods.

Haddin acknowledged that trends change rapidly in T20 cricket and believes successful teams cannot simply repeat what worked during the previous season.

Instead, Punjab want to retain the strongest elements of their approach while continuing to evolve.

That could prove particularly important after other IPL teams have previously struggled to reproduce a successful aggressive batting formula in consecutive seasons.

Maiden IPL Trophy Remains the Target

Reaching the final represented a major step forward for a franchise that had waited since 2014 for another appearance in the IPL playoffs.

But Punjab’s rebuild isn’t designed around one successful season.

With Ponting providing direction, Iyer leading the players and a talented Indian core continuing to develop, the franchise believes it now has the structure required to regularly challenge for the title.

The next challenge is turning that progress into what Punjab Kings have been chasing since the IPL began – their first championship trophy.

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