For years, the media narrative surrounding Vijay Mallya’s purchase of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) IPL team has been consistent: a flamboyant billionaire indulging in a vanity project fueled by a love for cricket.
But prepare to have that long-held belief shattered! In a revealing interview, Mallya himself pulls back the curtain, exposing the true, cold-hearted business strategy that led him to acquire the Bangalore franchise.
Forget the passion for the game; according to Mallya, the sole purpose behind buying an IPL team was the promotion of a specific brand. Fresh off acquiring Shaw Wallace, one of the biggest brands he obtained was Royal Challenge Whiskey. He was desperately seeking innovative ways to elevate this brand and make it attractive to youngsters.
When the IPL was conceived and teams were being auctioned, Mallya, who was on the BCCI committee as a representative of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, saw an incredible opportunity. He was “very impressed” with Lalit Modi’s pitch.
The thought struck him: “In a country where cricket is a religion, what better platform can I have to promote my brands than through an IPL franchise?”
He even got “greedy,” initially wanting two teams – one for Kingfisher and one for Royal Challenge. But rules allowed only one. When it came time to bid, Mallya bid for three franchises, eventually becoming the highest bidder for three and choosing Bangalore.
It was only natural, he states, that it would be named Royal Challengers Bangalore because of the whiskey brand it was intended to promote. This wasn’t a passion project; it was very much business-driven.
And did it work? Mallya emphatically confirms that the whiskey sales went up massively after RCB was formed. While it started purely as a marketing tool, the IPL franchise model itself became “a very profitable running independent business” over time, driven by high media revenues. The $112 million he bid for the team, which some “boked at” at the time, turned out to be a “top class investment” in hindsight.
But the revelations don’t stop there! Mallya also touched upon drafting Virat Kohli at a young age1. He picked the future legend after being “very impressed” watching the under-19 World Cup shortly before the selection process. He describes Kohli then as a “young kid… full of energy great talent” who is now “one of the greatest Indian cricketers ever”.
Even the much-discussed fact that RCB has never won the IPL trophy has surprisingly worked in their favor. Mallya attributes the team’s incredible cult following and “extreme loyalty” to a comprehensive, year-round fan engagement strategy, not just performance on the field.
Finally, Mallya shared his fantasy dream team today, highlighting who he’d pick from other teams if he could: Jasprit Bumrah, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul. With those four, he believes, they wouldn’t need anyone else and would “definitely win the trophy”1.
This insider look reveals that RCB’s origin story is far more calculated and business-focused than the public has ever known. It was a bold marketing gamble that paid off handsomely, both for the brand it promoted and eventually as a profitable entity itself.
Watch the full fascinating interview here to get all the details straight from Vijay Mallya!
Video Credit: Raj Shamani Clips
