Overview
- Houlihan Lokey published its 2026 IPL Brand Valuation Study on Wednesday, July 29, estimating the league’s business enterprise value at $20.6 billion and its standalone brand value at $4.3 billion.
- Two high‑profile ownership deals helped drive the re‑rating: Royal Challengers Bengaluru sold in March for about $1.78 billion and Rajasthan Royals sold in May for about $1.65 billion.
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru became the first cricket franchise to top $300 million in brand value at $312 million, reflecting strong fan engagement and recent on‑field success.
- The report highlights a platform shift: total reach rose to 1.06 billion screens with connected TV up roughly 26% while linear TV ratings and average per‑match TV viewership fell substantially.
- Analysts say the league’s centralized $55 million per‑team media pool and permissive BCCI ownership rules make franchises attractive to institutional investors but leave uncertainty about per‑match TV rights value in the 2028–32 cycle.