The impasse between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings was settled off the field and into the financial realm. Until recently, CSK was perceived as the exalted choice for the IPL team to look up to while RCB was referred to as the underdog.
The study by Houlihan Lokey reported that, in 2025, the IPL touched new heights financially, with its business value shooting up 12.9% over last year to $18.5 billion (Rs.1.56 trillion). With IPL having witnessed record viewership and ad revenues soaring higher, the brand value of the league also shot up 13.8% to Rs.3.9 billion, firmly establishing the IPL on the list of highest monetized sports businesses in the world.
After winning its first title, Royal Challengers Bangalore replaced Chennai Super Kings as the most valuable IPL franchise. The brand value of RCB climbed from $227 million in 2024 to $269 million, with Mumbai Indians taking the second position at $242 million. CSK fell to No. 3 with a brand value of Rs.235 million after finishing last in the league table.
Punjab Kings had the highest increase in brand value this season. It increased by 39.6% to reach $141 million as a result of its second-place finish and viral online campaigns.
There was a rise in IPL’s ad revenues as they crossed $600 million (Rs.5,000 crore) this year, marking a huge 50% jump from 2024 revenue. The BCCI collected a sponsorship amount of Rs.1,485 crore provided for My11Circle, Angel One, RuPay, and CEAT, while the renewal of title sponsorship with Tata had reportedly fetched US$300 million until 2028.
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Despite there being a mid-season break caused by the matters on our border, the IPL recovered mainly due to good viewing figures. Over 1.37 billion views were clocked via JioHotstar during the opening weekend, with 340 million viewers tuning in simultaneously. The final went on to become the most-viewed T20 cricket match with over 678 million views, as the rival facing off between RCB and PBKS.
The league is transitioning from just cricket to a fully-fledged sports media business. With cricket coming back in the 2028 LA Olympics and international investors increasingly showing interest, IPL is bound to play a significant role in spreading the sport overseas through longer seasons and better revenue streams.
