Owners of IPL Teams
MUMBAI INDIANS - AMBANI
Mukesh Ambani is an Indian billionaire businessman and the chairman
and managing director of Reliance Industries, a Fortune 500
conglomerate spanning petrochemicals, retail, and telecommunications.
Renowned as one of the wealthiest individuals globally, his strategic
vision has profoundly shaped India's modern digital and commercial
landscape.
The Mumbai Indians (MI) are owned by Reliance Industries through its sports subsidiary, Indiawin Sports Private Limited.
The Initial Acquisition: In January 2008, when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) launched the Indian Premier League (IPL), they auctioned off franchise rights. Mukesh Ambani, representing Reliance Industries, won the bidding war for the Mumbai franchise.
The Valuation: Ambani acquired the team for $111.9 million, making the Mumbai Indians the most expensive franchise in the league's inaugural auction.
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS - KASI VISWANATHAN
Kasi Viswanathan is a prominent Indian cricket administrator who serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited. He is a highly respected figure in Tamil Nadu cricket administration, having previously served as the secretary of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA).
A common misconception is that Kasi Viswanathan owns Chennai Super Kings, but he does not own the team. He is an employee—specifically the CEO—hired to run the franchise's business and cricket operations.
The Actual Ownership: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is owned by Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited, which is a public unlisted company.
The Corporate Structure: Originally, the team was owned by India Cements (headed by N. Srinivasan). However, in 2015, India Cements restructured the business and spun CSK off into a separate, independent corporate entity.
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BENGALURU
VIJAY MALLYA 2008-2025
Vijay Mallya is an Indian businessman and former billionaire who served as the flamboyant chairman of the UB Group, a massive conglomerate best known for its Kingfisher beverage brand. Once dubbed the "King of Good Times," his lavish lifestyle later collapsed under financial controversies, leading to his self-exile to the United Kingdom.
The Acquisition: In January 2008, Mallya personally spearheaded the purchase of the Bangalore franchise during the inaugural IPL auction.
The Valuation: He bought the team through his corporate entity, United Spirits Limited (USL), for $111.6 million. At the time, it was the second-highest bid in the entire auction, missing the top spot by a fraction behind Mumbai Indians.
KUMAR MANGALAM BIRLA - FROM 2026
Kumar Mangalam Birla is an Indian billionaire industrialist and the billionaire chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, one of India's largest global conglomerates. His son, Aryaman Vikram Birla, is a former professional domestic cricketer who now spearheads the family's expanding ventures into sports management.
The Record Acquisition: The franchise underwent a massive ownership shift when a consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group (alongside Blackstone, the Times of India Group, and Bolt Ventures) acquired 100% of RCB from United Spirits.
The Valuation: The consortium bought the team for a historic $1.78 billion (over ₹16,600 crore)—representing the highest valuation ever recorded for a sports franchise in IPL history.
Kolkata Knight Riders - Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan (SRK), often referred to as the "King of Bollywood," is one of India's most iconic and globally recognized film actors, film producers, and media entrepreneurs. Beyond his legendary three-decade acting career, he is a sharp venture capitalist and the co-founder and managing director of Red Chillies Entertainment
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are owned through a joint venture consortium operating under the corporate banner of Knight Riders Sports Private Limited.
The Business Partnership: Shah Rukh Khan owns the franchise in partnership with actress Juhi Chawla and her husband, industrialist Jay Mehta (head of the Mehta Group).
Equity Split: From a business standpoint, Shah Rukh Khan's company, Red Chillies Entertainment, holds the controlling stake with a 55% equity share, while the Mehta Group holds the remaining 45% stake.
Delhi capitals - Kiran Kumar Grandhi and Parth Jindal
Kiran Kumar Grandhi is a prominent Indian industrialist and the Corporate Chairman of the GMR Group.Parth Jindal is the dynamic, sports-enthusiastic Managing Director of JSW Cement and JSW Paints, who also heads JSW Sports—the sports arm of the multi-billion dollar JSW Group conglomerate.
The Delhi Capitals operate under a corporate entity called JSW GMR Cricket Private Limited.
The Initial Acquisition: In 2008, the GMR Group originally bought the franchise for $84 million and launched it as the Delhi Daredevils.
The 50:50 Split Agreement: In March 2018, looking to restructure and bring fresh energy into the team, GMR sold a 50% stake to JSW Sports for approximately ₹550 crore. Right after this financial merger, the franchise was officially rebranded from the Delhi Daredevils to the Delhi Capitals.
2025 - 2026: GMR Group handles the day-to-day cricket operations of the Men's IPL team, while JSW Group manages the Women's Premier League (WPL) team.
2027 - 2028: The roles reverse—JSW Group takes the wheel to run the Men's team operations, and GMR handles the Women's team.
Punjab Kings - Preity Zinta
Preity Zinta is an acclaimed Indian actress, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who ruled Bollywood in the late 1990s and 2000s with starring roles in iconic films. Beyond cinema, she has transitioned into a highly successful businesswoman and sports administrator, carving out a reputation as one of the most passionate team owners in franchise cricket.
The Punjab Kings franchise is officially owned and operated under a parent corporate structure called KPH Dream Cricket Private Limited. Rather than a single owner, the equity and financial stakes are distributed among a specific group of investors:
The Original Acquisition: In 2008, during the inaugural IPL team auctions conducted by the BCCI, this group pooled resources to win the franchise rights for the Punjab region. They acquired the team for an initial bid of $76 million.
The Shareholding Pattern: The business terms divide ownership among four primary stakeholders:
Mohit Burman (Dabur Group): Holds the largest single stake at 48%.
Ness Wadia (Wadia Group): Holds a 23% stake.
Preity Zinta: Holds a 23% stake.
Karan Paul (Apeejay Surrendra Group): Holds the remaining 6% stake.
Rajasthan Royals - Lakshmi Mittal
Lakshmi Niwas Mittal is an Indian-born billionaire industrialist based in the United Kingdom and the executive chairman of ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steelmaking company. Recognized as one of the global giants of heavy industry, his expansive corporate footprint spans across steel, mining, and global infrastructure investments.
The business operations of the Rajasthan Royals are structured under a powerful new billionaire-backed corporate consortium.
The $1.65 Billion Takeover: The Mittal family, alongside billionaire vaccine magnate Adar Poonawalla, signed a definitive agreement to acquire a massive controlling stake in the franchise from Manoj Badale. The deal values the entire ecosystem at an astronomical $1.65 billion.
The Equity Split: Under the corporate terms of the acquisition, the Mittal family holds a 75% majority stake, Adar Poonawalla owns an 18% stake, and the original founder Manoj Badale retains a 7% minority stake
Sunrisers Hyderabad - Kalanithi Maran
Kalanithi Maran is an Indian billionaire media mogul and the founder and chairman of the Sun Group, one of Asia's largest television networks. He is a prominent corporate leader based in Chennai, holding vast business interests across television channels, radio stations, newspapers, DTH services, and movie production.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) is owned by Sun TV Network Limited, the flagship media conglomerate of Kalanithi Maran’s Sun Group.
The Franchise Acquisition: In 2012, the original Hyderabad-based franchise, Deccan Chargers, was expelled from the IPL due to severe financial and operational issues. The BCCI opened a bidding war for the new Hyderabad team, which Kalanithi Maran won with a bid of ₹85.05 crore per year for a five-year period.
Corporate Asset Layout: On paper, the franchise operates as a wholly owned corporate subsidiary of Sun TV Network. Instead of being structured as personal property, the cricket team is used as a massive promotional vehicle for the Sun Group's media platforms, driving cross-promotional sponsorships, advertising revenue, and content broadcasting.
Gujarat Titans - Samir Mehta
The Gujarat Titans (GT) are primarily owned by the Torrent Group, a massive Indian multinational conglomerate headed by billionaire businessman Samir Mehta (Chairman). Torrent Group operates as a prominent player in the Indian healthcare and energy sectors, commanding revenues of over ₹41,000 crores.
The corporate ownership structure of the Gujarat Titans is built upon a dual-partnership business model.
The Initial Auction: When the IPL expanded in October 2021, global private equity firm CVC Capital Partners won the franchise rights to the Ahmedabad team with a massive bid of ₹5,625 crore ($590 million).
The Torrent Takeover: In a massive corporate reshuffle in February 2025, the Ahmedabad-based Torrent Group acquired a majority 67% stake in the franchise, establishing local Gujarati ownership.
Lucknow Super Giants - Sanjiv Goenka
Sanjiv Goenka is a prominent Indian billionaire industrialist and the chairperson of the RPSG Group, a multi-billion dollar conglomerate headquartered in Kolkata. His business footprint spans diverse sectors including power generation (CESC), retail (Spencer's), carbon black, and media.
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are owned by the RPSG Group through its sports wing, RPSG Sports Private Limited.
The Franchise Acquisition: In October 2021, the BCCI expanded the IPL by adding two new teams for the 2022 season. Sanjiv Goenka made a massive statement by winning the bidding war for the Lucknow franchise.
Record-Breaking Valuation: Goenka bought the franchise for a jaw-dropping ₹7,090 crore (approximately $940 million). This made LSG the most expensive franchise team history in the IPL, comfortably surpassing CVC Capital’s winning bid for the Gujarat Titans