IPL Business worth more than $ 18 billion, 13% rises in a year: Report – Times of India

Mumbai: IPL, the annual showpiece of Cricket, has seen his business value of 13% in a year to $ 18.5 billion – almost RS 1.6 Lakh Crore. At the same time, the brand value has risen by 14% to nearly $ 4 billion (about RS 33,000 Crore), a report from NYSE-Genotered Investment Bank Houlihan Lokey, which has appreciated various sports franchises around the world.The year also saw 2025 IPL winner Royal Challengers Bengaluru the top slot in terms of brand value among the 10 teams that compete in the competition. The first winner in the 18-year history of the competition has a brand value of $ 269 million.In the brand valuation table, RCB is followed by Mumbai Indians at $ 242 million, Chennai Super Kings for $ 235 million and Kolkata Knight Riders at $ 227 million.“IPL continues to define the commercialization of the sport – not only in terms of cricket, but due to record auctions, historical sponsorship, technological progress and an ever -increasing international footprint,” said the report on the recent extensions and business growth of the competition.The mention of IPL “a global phenomenon” that is at the intersection of sport, entertainment and trade, said the report that the “influence of the competition now extends much further than the cricket brotherhood, the reform of fan engagement, commercial models and the structure of the sport itself”. The report pointed out that the success of IPL has also catalyzed a proliferation of short-format competitions on continents, “again define the modern cricket calendar and embedded itself as a cornerstone of contemporary popular culture”.The Houlihan Lokey report also estimated that the advertisement income during the IPL 2025 had risen a huge 50% to around $ 600 million (approximately RS 5,000 crore). And in terms of viewers, the last match between RCB and Punjab Kings registered more than 678 million views, a number that was higher than the India-Pakistan collision during the ICC championship in February this year, according to the report.On IPL’s turnover model, the report said that “it represented an almost perfect mix of predictable cash flows and cost discipline, a rarity in the worldwide universe of sports assets. “The income is endorsed by BCCI’s long-term, well-negotiated media rights contracts and pre-loaded sponsorship offers, creating annuity-like cash flows.”For top franchisees, almost 80% of the costs are protected, even before the tournament starts. “On the cost side, the presence of a salary limit (RS 120 crore per team) functions as an embedded margin protector, which prevents wage inflation (a major care for global sports teams) and ensures the competitive parity between teams.”In terms of costs and income models, IPL is seen as superior to the English Premier League (EPL) of the UK and the National Basketball Association (NBA) of the US, the report noted. “For institutional investors, this not only makes the IPL a sports competition, but also a fast -growing compounder in the entertainment space, aimed at a fast -growing fan base with increasing disposable income and a strong appetite for premium digital experiences.“