The Indian Premier League's value has surged to an estimated $20.6 billion, boosted by ownership deals involving two of its biggest franchises, according to a report Wednesday by investment bank Houlihan Lokey.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The T20 competition's value rose 10.3 percent over the past year, underlining its position as one of the world's most valuable sports brands, it said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"On a per-match basis, only the NFL ranks ahead of the IPL globally," it added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, IPL champions for the last two seasons and home to superstar Virat Kohli, retained their status as the league's most valuable franchise with a brand value of $312 million.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The team was recently acquired by a consortium including US asset management giant Blackstone in a deal worth nearly $1.8 billion, the most expensive franchise transaction in IPL history.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rajasthan Royals also changed hands in a deal valued at $1.65 billion, with Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi N. Mittal and his family joining vaccine billionaire Adar Poonawalla in taking control.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Cricket's evolution into a globally owned, institutionally backed asset class has accelerated further in 2026, with the IPL continuing to redefine the global sports landscape," Houlihan Lokey's Harsh Talikoti said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"These latest transactions further demonstrate the confidence investors continue to place in the long-term value creation opportunity," he said in a statement.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The league, which began in 2008, has become a top revenue earner for the Board of Control for Cricket in India and was estimated to generate more than $11 billion a year for the Indian economy in 2020.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
It has inspired copycat cricket tournaments around the world and India domestic franchise competitions in sports as diverse as boxing, badminton, poker and kabaddi.<\/p>\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ipl-brand-value-soars-to-20-6-billion.jpg", "alt_img": "IPL brand value", "alt_title": "IPL Brand Value Soars to $20.6 Billion as RCB Tops Franchise Rankings", "image1": null, "video": null, "seo_title": "IPL Brand Value Soars to $20.6 Billion as RCB Tops Franchise Rankings On Cricketnmore", "seo_desc": "The Indian Premier League's brand value has climbed to $20.6 billion, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru remaining the most valuable franchise following record-breaking ownership deals.", "seo_keywords": "IPL 2026, IPL Brand Value, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rajasthan Royals, Houlihan Lokey, Virat Kohli, IPL Franchises", "tag": null, "tagging": "IPL Brand Value,Royal Challengers Bengaluru,Rajasthan Royals,Houlihan Lokey,Virat Kohli,IPL Franchises", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": null, "slug": "ipl-brand-value-soars-to-206-billion-as-rcb-tops-franchise-rankings", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "1", "ians_date": null, "ians_time": null, "server_time": null, "trash": "0", "view_count": "11", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "1", "created": "2026-07-30 10:14:44", "updated": "2026-07-30 10:14:44", "img_from": "Image Source: Google", "img_source": null, "schedule_publish": null, "news_keywords": "IPL 2026, IPL Brand Value, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rajasthan Royals, Houlihan Lokey, Virat Kohli, IPL Franchises", "livescore_text": null, "livescore_link": null, "btn_text": null, "resend_feed": "0", "google_feed": "0", "read_more": "1", "posted_by": "19", "jio_date": "2026-07-30 10:14:44", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "1", "google_date": null, "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": "Select", "article_content_type": "Cricket Feature Story", "england_cricket": "0", "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/ipl-brand-value-soars-to-206-billion-as-rcb-tops-franchise-rankings-201224" }