Bengaluru: Following their long-awaited maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are poised to become the most valuable franchise in the league, with their brand value projected to exceed $140 million, according to a new report by influencer marketing intelligence platform Qoruz.
RCB’s 2024 brand valuation stood at $117 million, ranking third behind Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at $122 million and Mumbai Indians (MI) at $119 million. However, a championship win after 18 seasons, combined with a projected 20% year-on-year growth and unmatched digital engagement, positions the Bengaluru-based team to leapfrog its rivals.
The Qoruz report, which includes data up to June 3, 2025, reveals significant growth across franchises, with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) recording a 76% brand value increase to $85 million, and RCB itself seeing a 67% year-on-year surge.
RCB’s dominance is particularly evident on social media. The franchise leads the IPL on Instagram with 21.5 million followers, boasting an average of 4.8 million views per reel and 385,000+ likes per post — translating to a 5.8% engagement rate. On YouTube, RCB has amassed over 5.3 million subscribers across 4,000+ videos, averaging 180,500 views each. During the 2025 IPL season, RCB generated 74,600 influencer mentions, far surpassing MI (22,300) and CSK (19,200), and achieved a league-high 16.2% engagement rate.
Virat Kohli remains a cornerstone of RCB’s brand engine, responsible for 62,600 influencer mentions — more than triple those of Shreyas Iyer (18,500) and MS Dhoni (13,400). Content creation saw a sharp uptick during the playoffs, driven by a wide mix of creators and fan-led narratives.
“After 18 seasons, RCB has finally done it,” said Praanesh Bhuvaneswar, Co-Founder & CEO, Qoruz. “But here’s what people often miss — RCB has been winning off the field for years. They realized early that they’re not just a cricket team, but a lifestyle brand. From the Puma jersey collaboration to the RCB Innovation Lab and Hustle fitness content, they’ve built a blueprint for community-driven brand building. This win simply connects the final dot.”
Aditya Gurwara, Co-Founder & Head of Brand Alliances at Qoruz, highlighted the emotional equity RCB commands online: “RCB isn’t just the most-followed team — they’re a digital phenomenon. Their reels, BTS content, creator collabs, and emotional storytelling have built a cultural movement. The Danish Sait content made stars like Kohli and AB de Villiers feel relatable and human. That’s the secret sauce.”
With a rapidly expanding fanbase, deep content ecosystem, and now, on-field success, RCB’s brand trajectory is on an unprecedented upward curve. The Qoruz report positions the franchise as a case study in blending sport, storytelling, and social media — and potentially the most valuable IPL brand in 2025.
