Man United co-owner interested in RCB takeover: How much the rich are willing to splash to own Kohli’s team
Manchester United co-owner Avram Glazer is among the parties that have expressed interest in the takeover of Royal Challengers Bengaluru with the franchise’ current owners having signalled their intentions of exiting the Indian Premier League in the near future.
RCB owners Diageo (via United Spirits Ltd.) had put the franchise on the market in November, months after their maiden IPL title, believing it to be the best time to attract bids from interested parties. Earlier this week, the Royal Challengers had won their second Women’s Premier League title in four seasons, further boosting the team’s brand valuation.
According to recent reports, the Glazer Family’s entry into the IPL appears stronger than ever with their bid for the defending champions exceeding the bids presented by the other parties in the fray, including Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla and Adani Group founder and chairman Gautam Adani.
The Glazers, who also own the Tampay Bay Buccaneers team in the National Football League (NFL) back home, have submitted an offer worth USD 1.8 billion (approximately Rs 16,300 crore) through investment company Lancer Capital.
The corresponding bids from Poonawalla and Adani are believed to be worth Rs 15,000 crore and Rs 14,000 crore respectively. Also among the bidders are JSW Cement Managing Director Parth Jindal, who owns the Delhi Capitals franchise in the IPL and the WPL as well as Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League.
His bid is said to be worth Rs 12,000 crore, slightly ahead of the Rs 10,000 crore bid from Infinite Computer Solutions chairman Sanjay Govil.
RCB are said to have received a total of nine bids for the franchise, though only five have been shortlisted for the next stage of negotiations.
Glazers aim to establish their presence in cricket through RCB
This isn’t the first time the Glazers, who had taken charge of Premier League giants Man United in 2005 and had sold 25 per cent of their controlling stake to Sir Jim Ratcliffe of the INEOS Group in 2023, have expressed interest in cricket.
They were among the parties that had expressed interest in the two new franchises that had joined the world’s richest T20 league ahead of the 2022 edition. And while they couldn’t acquire either the Ahmedabad or the Lucknow team, they might end up owning Bengaluru – the franchise that enjoys the biggest fanbase and brand valuation in the IPL alongside Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.
The Glazers also own the Desert Vipers franchise in the UAE’s International League T20 (ILT20) via Lancer Capital, that entity that is bidding for the Royal Challengers.