Which is the most valued IPL team

25/03/2025

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been the most popular franchise cricket league all around the world. The first season of this tournament was played back in 2008, as fans also gear up for the 18th season of the same, which will be played in 2025. Over the years, the participating teams in the tournament have been able to create a brand value based on their performances, key players, and much more. Some teams, like Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, and various others, have also extended their availability across different T20 Leagues, adding more to their brand value. In this blog, we will be taking a look at the most valued IPL teams and their approximate worth.

1. Chennai Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings is the most valued team in the Indian Premier League, having an estimated value of 122 million US dollars. Although the team finished in the league stages during the 2024 season, its brand value still received a massive surge of 52% from the previous year's value. In its IPL journey, Chennai Super Kings has played 15 seasons till now, as the team received a two-season ban due to the match-fixing case. Out of these seasons, they have made it to the playoffs 12 times and also won the title five times, with their last IPL title coming off in the 2023 season. Also, they are the only team to have the most appearances in the finals of the Indian Premier League, as the team has been to the finals ten times.

Let's take a look at the factors that contribute to the growth of Chennai's brand value:

Consistent Performance:One of the major reasons behind the team's growth in its brand value is its consistent performance in the Indian Premier League. As discussed earlier, they have not been in the playoffs for just three seasons, reaching playoffs 12 times and out of them making it to the final 10 times.
Strong Fan Base: The team's fan base, or “Yellow Army,” is passionate, and its overwhelming support has led to an increase in its brand value.
Sponsorship Deals:Chennai Super Kings has been involved in sponsorship deals with various popular companies such as Gulf Oil, Etihad Airways, TVS Eurogrip, and various others.
Merchandising & Branding:The team also sells off its merchandise from top brands, which helps it to receive branding revenue throughout the year.
Stadium Advantage: The home matches of Chennai Super Kings are being played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, which offers a significant contribution to its revenue.
Key Players: The team has also been linked with various key players, who have been a part of the same, such as Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo, and various others.

2. Mumbai Indians

Mumbai Indians stands at the second spot when it comes to the most valued teams in the Indian Premier League, having an approximate value of 119 million US dollars. This team is also known as the financial powerhouse of the IPL, as it is owned by one of the top Indian companies, Reliance Industries. Their performances in the tournament have also been dominant, as the team has been able to win the IPL title five times, having also made to the playoffs 10 times. Three times, the team has been able to defeat Chennai Super Kings in the finals, which showcases their dominance as the most dominant team in IPL history. Their revenue also received stagnant growth in 2024, increasing by 36%, and is also expected to grow more in the upcoming season.

Let's take a look at the factors which have led to the growth of the team's brand value:

Multiple Championships: Just like Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians have also won five titles in the Indian Premier League, making them the most dominant team throughout.
Strong Corporate Backing: Mumbai Indians are owned by Reliance Industries, which is one of the biggest companies in India, and it also helps them by providing financial backing, which further ensures growth and stability.
Massive Brand Deals: For the IPL seasons, the team has been a part of some massive brand deals which further helps in generating revenue. Some of the companies that they have partnered with include Slice, DHL, IDFC First Bank, and many more.
Global Fan Base: The fanbase of Mumbai Indians is not just in India, but it also extends to various other countries due to the fact that they have teams in various other T20 Leagues such as SA20, Major League Cricket, ILT20, and various others, bringing global support in the IPL.
Youth Development: Mumbai Indians has focused on youth development programs, which play an important role in stabilizing its growth as a brand and also developing young talents.

3. Royal Challengers Bengaluru

The fan favourite team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, is also present in the list of most valued teams in the Indian Premier League. Despite having no trophies in their IPL journey throughout, the team has been able to win hearts in almost every season, pulling off some great comebacks lately. They have been to the IPL finals three times and ended up as runners-up in every game. Talking about its brand value, it stands at 117 million dollars, just 2 million short of Mumbai Indians. However, RCB has received the highest growth of 67% in a year in terms of its brand value and is likely to surpass Mumbai Indians in the current season. Their line-up has been filled with various star-studded players in the past also, with players like Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, and various others having represented the team at a time.

The factors which have been crucial to the team's growth in brand value are as follows:

Massive Fan Engagement: One of the major reasons behind the rapid growth of its brand value is the massive fan engagement among the team's social media platforms. This also helps them to receive paid partnerships for some posts, as companies are willing to pay huge.
Star Players: RCB has been filled with star players for several IPL seasons, and the key player who has been a part of the team's growth is the icon of Indian cricket, Virat Kohli, being with the team since the inaugural IPL season.
Premium Sponsorships: Royal Challengers Bengaluru has received sponsorships from various top companies such as Qatar Airways, Delhivery, PUMA, and many more, contributing to the team's revenue every season.
High Marketability: With popular cricket icons also being a part of the team, this provides them with a better reach and also helps in the marketing, by making it an attractive destination for the brands.
Bengaluru Market Advantage: Representing Bengaluru, which is also the tech giant city of India, the team is able to attract investments from several companies in the region which also contributes to its growth.

4. Kolkata Knight Riders

Kolkata Knight Riders, the defending champions in the IPL 2025 season, have also been among the top teams with the highest brand value in the tournament. The Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan owns this team, and their squad has always been filled with star players such as Gautam Gambhir, Sunil Narine, Jacques Kallis, and various others. Their brand value currently stands at 109 million US dollars, and the growth has been 38% as compared to the previous year's figures. Moreover, grabbing a massive win in the IPL 2025 finals against Sunrisers Hyderabad has helped Kolkata Knight Riders to enter the 100 million brand value club in the Indian Premier League. Throughout their IPL journey, the team has won the title three times and has been to the playoffs 8 times.

There are a number of factors that have contributed to the growth of the team's brand value, which include:

Strong Brand Association:KKR has a strong brand association, as the team is owned by the Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan, which also helped to make the team a global brand.
IPL Titles:Kolkata Knight Riders have also shown dominance when it comes to the Indian Premier League, with the team having won the IPL title three times in 2012, 2014, and 2024 seasons respectively. They are also among the few teams which have won the IPL titles more than once.
Massive Sponsorship Deals: The team also had various sponsorship deals in the Indian Premier League, with top companies such as Dream11, Lux COZI, BKT, and much more, contributing to the team's revenue in every IPL season.
Smart Player Investments: One of the major reasons why the brand value of KKR remains impressive is that the smart player buys during the IPL auction. Their aim has been to strengthen the team in every season, for which they have been successful in most of the cases.
Strategic Marketing:The team is also known for having made some strategic efforts in global marketing, which has been done with its expansion to the other T20 Leagues, such as Caribbean Premier League, International League T20, and much more.

5. Sunrisers Hyderabad

The team that received the most benefits in its brand value in 2024 was Sunrisers Hyderabad, which helped the team to rise and enter the top five teams with the most value in the IPL. Although the team finished as the runners-up in the IPL, they were able to end the year 2024 with a brand value of 85 million dollars. Along with that, they also received the highest growth in the brand value, at 76%, and it is also likely for the team to reach the 100 million dollar club in the upcoming season. The team has been to the IPL playoffs in seven seasons, and the only time they have won the title is in the 2016 season.

IPL Championship Win:Sunrisers Hyderabad has won the Indian Premier League in the 2016 season and has also made appearances in the tournament playoffs multiple times. Their final win over RCB also helped the team to gain popularity among the fans.
Focus on Talent:The team focuses on talents across the world to build up a strong line-up in every season, as various strong players such as David Warner, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson, and various others have been a part of the team. Also, in the current season, they have dominant players like Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, etc.
Stable Ownership:Another reason behind the team's growth in brand value is the stability in its ownership, as it is being owned by Sun TV Network, among the top media companies in India, which provides financial backing to the team.
Corporate Sponsorships:The team has collaborated with various companies for sponsorships in the IPL, including companies like Dream11, Kuhl, BKT, etc.
Growing Fan Base:The fanbase of Sunrisers Hyderabad has been growing at a rapid pace due to the team's performances in the Indian Premier League and their dominant display.

Conclusion

The Indian Premier League has not just been about cricket, as companies have also turned it into a business, which helps them to create values worth millions and attract investors easily. Thus, teams like Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Sunrisers Hyderabad have been able to generate brand value with the help of various factors like performance, fan engagement, and strategic partnerships.