The news is rife that the owners of the 2008 Indian Premier League champions Rajasthan Royals are willing to sell their stake in the franchise before the start of the 2019 season. It has been reliably learned that as the current franchise owners, led by Manoj Badale, approached key BCCI officials in the last few days and intimated their decision of selling up to fifty percent of their stakes. Sanjiv Goenka, who previously owned the Pune Supergiants franchise, is among the parties interested in the proposition. One question that begs to be answered is – What will be the prospective cost of the stake? Although it is difficult to predict the exact figure, it can be safely said that buying a stake in an established IPL franchise won’t come cheap, especially since the IPL brand’s valuation soaring 19 percent in 2018. According to corporate finance advisory firm Duff & Phelps, the World’s richest cricket league’s brand value soared from $5.3 billion in 2017 to $6.3 billion as a result of a big spike in broadcasting rights fee of the tournament. The worth of the stake will, thus, heavily depend on the brand value the team governs, which is again based on several factors including the IPL success and fan following (which is again dependant on the players that play in it) among others. With the future of the Rajasthan franchise up in the air for the moment, here are the top 5 most valuable franchises in Indian Premier League:

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Brand Value $ 70 million (~ ₹ 498 crores)

It is a bit cruel that Sunrisers Hyderabad comes in at the fifth rank when it comes to brand valuation. After all, they have been one of the most consistent sides around. After finishing in the play-off position in their debut season, Sunrisers went on to win the 2016 IPL title under the stewardship of David Warner. Last season, the team went on to feature in the finals, only to lose by 8 wickets to a resurgent Chennai Super Kings side.

Nonetheless, their stock has grown by 25% as compared to 2017, when their brand value stood at $56 million.

Chennai Super Kings: Brand Value $ 98 million (~₹ 697 crores)

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have arguably the best sides in the Indian Premier League, since its inception. CSK has been in the playoff stages every time they have competed in the competition, winning on three occasions besides being the runner-ups on four others. The MS Dhoni-led side could have easily been at the top of the brand value table, had it not been for a 2-year suspension they suffered in 2016. Although the debacle affected them financially, their on-pitch remained unaffected. As a result of the 2018 IPL title, CSK brand value stands at $ 98 million

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Brand Value $ 98 million (~₹ 697 crores)

Tying with Chennai Super Kings is another south Indian side, Royal Challengers Bangalore. The Virat Kohli-captained side did not have their best season in last year, managing to finish only 6th in the table. However, that didn’t stop their brand value from burgeoning. RCB gained $ 10 million in one year, jumping from $ 88 million in 2017 to $ 98 million in 2018. One major reason may be the rise of Virat Kohli as arguably the best batsman in the world cricket at the moment. They paid as much as ₹ 17 crores to the Indian skipper last year, making him the highest paid cricketer in IPL of all time.

 Kolkata Knight Riders: Brand Value $ 104 million (~ ₹ 740 crores)

Kolkata Knight Riders started the initial seasons as the ‘minnows’ of IPL, consistently finishing on the wrong side of the league table. Then came the stunning renaissance under veteran Indian opener Gautam Gambhir and there was no looking back. That was a turning point for KKR, as they went on to win two IPL titles in three seasons before making it to the playoffs on three consecutive occasions from 2016. This rich vein of form saw the Shahrukh Khan-owned team’s brand skyrocket, crossing the ₹100 million threshold in 2018. They are only the second team to achieve the feat.

Mumbai Indians: Brand Value $ 113 million (~ ₹ 803 crores)

Mumbai Indians top the brand value table with a figure of $ 113 million. In the brand strategist and media planning consultant Gopinath Menon view, it is the manner in which the Mumbai Indians franchise is marketed and promoted by its owners Reliance Industries that has made all the difference. Moreover, the star value of big hitters such as Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard along with the rise of Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has contributed as well. MI has been one of the most consistent sides in IPL, winning three IPL titles (highest along with Chennai Super Kings) apart from making it to the playoffs four times.

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