Houlihan Lokey, Inc., a global investment bank, released the 2025 IPL Brand Valuation Study on Tuesday, July 8. The report gave detailed information on the business value of IPL as well as the 10 franchises.
The report stated that the value of IPL as a business has increased to USD 18.5 billion. The stand-alone brand value of IPL has increased to USD 3.9 billion. Since last year, the business value has increased by 12.9%, while the stand-alone brand value has increased by 13.8%.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India onboarded four associate sponsors last season. These were My11Circle, Angel One, RuPay, and CEAT. This single move helped the board generate INR 1485 crores, which was an increase of 25% from last year.
Tata Group bought the title sponsorship rights for the IPL in 2022 for two seasons. In 2024, the brand decided to extend the title sponsorship till the 2028 season. This five-year deal is worth USD 300 million (INR 2,500 crores).
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Becomes The Most Valuable Franchise
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lifted the IPL trophy for the first time this season. The brand value for the franchise has increased from USD 227 million last year to USD 269 million. Punjab Kings, the runner-up from this season, recorded the highest year-on-year growth rate among the 10 franchises. PBKS’ brand value has increased by a whopping amount of 39.6% from 2024
“The IPL continues to set benchmarks in sports business. Franchise valuations have soared, media rights deals have reached record highs, and brand partnerships have diversified across sectors,” said Harsh Talikoti, Director, Financial and Valuation Advisory at Houlihan Lokey.
The 2025 season of IPL delivered a staggering amount of viewership. During the first weekend (March 22-24), JioHotstar recorded 1370 million views, an increase of 35% from last year. The peak value of concurrent viewers was 340 million, and the watch time was 21860 million minutes.
Star Sports saw a year-on-year increase of 14% and the unique TV viewership increased to 253 million. This resulted in a combined 49,560 million minutes of watch time.
RCB and PBKS faced each other in the final, which ensured that the league would have a new winner. On the date of the final, the official streaming platform JioHotstar recorded more than 67.8 crore views, which was more than the match between India and Pakistan in the Champions Trophy.
“The league’s ability to attract global investors and sponsors reflects its status as a premier sports property with enduring appeal. In summary, the IPL represents a high-yield multi-asset class with diversified risks and a catalyst for cricket’s global transformation.
By blending sport, entertainment, and commerce, it has redefined how cricket is consumed and commercialised. Its growth trajectory, led by OTT penetration, blend of youthful and diverse audiences, global awareness, and asset creation (IP deals, women’s league, new franchisees) is strong. As the sport continues to expand into new territories, the IPL’s blueprint will remain central to shaping the future of cricket on the world stage,” Talikoti further added.
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