After 18 seasons of heartbreak and near-misses, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have finally captured their first-ever IPL trophy—and the commercial impact of that breakthrough is reverberating across the cricket industry.
According to a new analysis from influencer marketing intelligence platform Qoruz, as reported by SportzPower, RCB‘s maiden title is projected to catapult the team’s brand value past $140 million, putting them on track to overtake Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians as the IPL’s most valuable franchise in 2025. In 2024, RCB ranked third with a brand valuation of $117 million, trailing CSK ($122m) and MI ($119m). But the long-awaited trophy win, combined with their unmatched digital footprint, is expected to drive a 20% year-on-year surge in brand value.
RCB’s off-field brand game sets them apart
RCB’s true power lies in the way they’ve cultivated their brand as more than just a cricket team. As Qoruz co-founder and CEO Praanesh Bhuvaneswar put it:
“After 18 seasons, RCB has finally done it. They’ve won the IPL, at last. And watching Kohli, teary-eyed in the final overs, was emotional, not just for fans, but for anyone who’s followed this team’s journey. But here’s what people often miss. RCB has been winning off the field for years now. They figured out early that they’re not just a cricket team. They’re a brand. A lifestyle. While most teams show up for two months and then disappear, RCB stayed in the spotlight year-round. The Puma jersey collab made their merch aspirational. The RCB Bar & Cafe gave fans a place to belong. They launched the RCB Innovation Lab to push India’s sports tech narrative. And even something like Hustle by RCB, their fitness content initiative, shows how deeply they understand community and consistency.”
RCB rules social media across platforms
RCB’s digital strategy is not just broad—it’s dominant across platforms.
On Instagram, RCB leads all IPL franchises with 21.5 million followers, generating an average of 4.8 million views per reel and 385,000+ likes per post—translating to a remarkable 5.80% engagement rate. Meanwhile, their YouTube channel boasts 5.3 million subscribers and over 4,000 videos, including behind-the-scenes content and fan-centric programming, with each video averaging 180,500 views.
Qoruz data, updated through June 3, 2025, revealed that RCB led all teams in social media buzz during the IPL with a staggering 74,600 influencer mentions across Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube—far ahead of MI (22,300) and CSK (19,200). RCB also recorded the highest influencer engagement rate in the league at 16.2%.
In the two days leading up to the IPL final, Qoruz observed a dramatic uptick in creator-generated content using RCB-related hashtags, with viral posts coming not just from cricket fan pages but also meme creators and mainstream influencers. The surge reflects RCB’s deep-rooted digital fandom and content-first brand strategy.
Virat Kohli remains RCB’s cultural force
RCB’s brand gravity is also tied to the influence of star players, most notably Virat Kohli. He was the most mentioned player among influencers during the tournament, with 62,600 mentions—more than triple that of second-ranked Shreyas Iyer (18,500) and MS Dhoni (13,400). Kohli’s personal brand continues to be central to RCB’s off-field marketing power and cultural resonance.
A fanbase that fuels virality
Aditya Gurwara, co-founder and head of brand alliances at Qoruz, highlighted how RCB’s digital game has redefined fan engagement in Indian sports.
“What sets RCB apart isn’t just the loyalty of their fans. It’s how that loyalty plays out on social media. And now, here they are. Already the most followed IPL team. After this win, the internet is exploding. We could see the spike in creator content, fan edits, viral memes and all of it organic, all of it emotional. What’s interesting is how RCB turned moments into movements. The Danish Sait videos didn’t just make us laugh, they made players like Virat and AB feel real and human. So yes, the trophy is huge. But RCB was already playing a different game on social media. One that blends culture, content, and community. And now with this win, it’s all coming full circle.”
The bottom line: RCB’s victory is just the beginning
RCB’s 2025 IPL championship will go down in cricketing history—but the real legacy may be in how it redefined the business of cricket branding. With unmatched digital influence, a passionate fanbase, and an ecosystem built on culture and community, RCB isn’t just lifting the trophy—they’re lifting the ceiling on what an IPL franchise can be.
And now, with momentum, media buzz, and millions of fans behind them, RCB is not just winning—they have the ability to set the gold standard for IPL franchise branding.
