The global alcohol sector is aggressively shedding its athletic assets to cash in on skyrocketing franchise valuations. On Tuesday, United Spirits Limited officially dumped its cricket holdings. The Diageo subsidiary sold Royal Challengers Bengaluru for a record-breaking $1.78 billion to a multi-industry consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group. The historic acquisition immediately installs the family of former Rajasthan Royals player Aryaman Birla at the helm of the most expensive franchise in the sport.
The money is completely reshaping the league. Investment bank Houlihan Lokey recently valued the IPL ecosystem at $18.5 billion. Corporate investors are scrambling for a piece of the pie. The Aditya Birla Group was not the only buyer making moves on Tuesday. The Rajasthan Royals were also sold. A US-based consortium bought the franchise for $1.63 billion. The sheer scale of these transactions is rippling through the international sports community.
That cash flow looks entirely different outside of India. Associate nations are struggling to fund their basic operations. Netherlands fast bowler Paul van Meekeren watched the $1.78 billion RCB takeover and immediately took to social media on Wednesday morning. He pointed directly at the financial chasm dividing the International Cricket Council.
“If only they could give 0.5% to @KNCBcricket we could close the gap to full members and make the sport so much more global @RCBTweets,” van Meekeren wrote on X.
His math is simple. Half a percent of the RCB sale price is $8.9 million. That sum would entirely transform Dutch cricket. The Netherlands recently delivered a highly competitive run in the 2026 T20 World Cup. They pushed top-tier squads like India and Pakistan to the limit. But performance on the pitch does not guarantee structural support off it.
Captains from associate nations like Oman’s Jatinder Singh and Dutch skipper Scott Edwards are increasingly vocal. They want the ICC to overhaul its revenue sharing model. They want more frequent fixtures against full-member nations. Right now, they are watching billionaires trade franchises for billions while they fight for scraps. The 2026 IPL season opens on March 28. The financial divide has never been wider.