Following the monumental sale of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a high-profile consortium, former owner Vijay Mallya has taken a “victory lap” on social media. Recalling the franchise’s humble beginnings in 2008, Mallya mocked his early critics after the team’s valuation skyrocketed by over 3,600% in less than two decades.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on March 26, 2026, Mallya reminded the world of the skepticism he faced during the inaugural IPL auction.
“I would like to heartily congratulate the new owners of RCB. I wish them the very best and Godspeed with the most valuable IPL franchise. When I bought the franchise in 2008 for INR 450 crores, most people laughed at me and criticised my investment as a vanity project. Behind my much touted madnesses was building the Royal Challenge brand and hence I named the franchise RCB,” Vijay Mallya wrote on X.
“Immensely gratifying to see my INR 450 crore investment grow to INR 16,500 crores. RCB will always remain a part of my DNA with indelible memories, including picking the young Virat Kohli, who is now among the best in the world. To all RCB fans who came on board during my stewardship and beyond, a grateful thank you, and please continue to support RCB, the Lion of Bengaluru. Namaskara,” he concluded.
The recent sale, finalized on March 24, 2026, saw a consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group (including Blackstone and Times of India Group) acquire the team from United Spirits Limited (Diageo).
Sale Price: Approximately ₹16,660 crore ($1.78 billion).
The Growth: Mallya noted it was “immensely gratifying” to see his initial investment grow nearly 37 times in value.
DNA and Memories: Despite losing control of the team in 2016 due to legal and financial troubles, Mallya stated, “RCB will always remain a part of my DNA.”
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