RCB have no immediate plans for overseas franchise expansion, says co-owner Satyan Gajwani

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have no immediate plans to invest in franchises across overseas T20 leagues, according to co-owner Satyan Gajwani. The IPL champions are instead focusing on strengthening fan engagement and consolidating their position as one of cricket’s most popular brands.

In March, a consortium comprising the Aditya Birla Group, Times of India, Bolt Ventures and Blackstone acquired RCB for $1.78 billion, bringing an end to United Spirits’ long association with the franchise.

Several IPL franchises, including Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders, have already established a presence in overseas competitions such as Major League Cricket in the United States, SA20 in South Africa, ILT20 in the UAE and the Caribbean Premier League. RCB, though, appear content to take a more cautious approach before considering international expansion.

“Don’t think we have any plans as of now. We’re a bit ahead of ourselves as we’re still focusing on closing the transaction and then thinking about where we’re going from there. I think RCB as a brand is very centred around Bengaluru and around cricket,” said Gajwani as quoted by bdnews24.

Gajwani said the franchise’s immediate priority is to strengthen its core operations and deepen engagement with its fan base rather than expand into new markets, although he acknowledged that RCB possesses significant potential to grow as a global cricket brand.

“The RCB brand warrants a global presence and that could be through other forms like academies that we could do on the ground, it could also be potentially through expanding into franchise cricket and other markets. It’s still a little bit in the air to decide whether or not we want to do that,” said Gajwani.

RCB ended a 17-year wait for the IPL title by winning the championship last season and successfully defended the crown in 2026. Their women’s team has also enjoyed sustained success, lifting the Women’s Premier League titles in 2024 and 2026. Gajwani said the consortium’s immediate focus is on strengthening fan engagement beyond the IPL’s two-month season and addressing the significant demand for tickets at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which has a seating capacity of just 33,800.

“One of the issues we have is the stadium can only fit as many people and it’s not easy to buy tickets for RCB games. So, hopefully, we’ll find ways to grow the stadium and ways to bring more fans into it,” said Gajwani.