Vijay Mallya Maybe Forced To Sell Royal Challengers Bangalore

Vijay Mallya to sell Royal Challengers Bangalore?

© BCCI

Good times maybe coming to an end for Royal Challengers Bangalore; not literally but metaphorically.

Well placed sources have told NDTV that JSW- a 11 billion dollar company with interest in steel, mining and power, owned by billionaire Sajjan Jindal- is on the verge of acquiring the IPL franchise.

Sources in RCB have informed NDTV that JSW had been making overtures for the last few months, but Vijay Mallya kept resisting. (IPL Scam: ‘CSK Trio Can Sue Lalit Modi’)

Mallya, a self confessed cricket fan, is still reluctant to sell the franchise he built and shaped for the last seven years; but things may have now gotten out of his hands.

RCB is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Spirits LTD, which is majority owned by Diageo. NDTV has learnt that Diageo sees no business sense in continuing with the IPL franchise and is pushing for Mallya to sell. An independent source in the know of things described the deal as ‘preordained’. (BCCI Gives ‘Clean Chit’ to Three Players)

NDTV’s attempts at getting a response from the JSW elicited no response.

Interestingly, the JSW conglomerate also owns I-league football club Bengaluru FC and are said to be on the look out to expand their sports portfolio. (Kohli Makes Dubsmash Debut)

Royal Challengers Bangalore may not have won an IPL title, but are two time finalists. Add to that the start power they boast of in the form of India’s test captain Virat Kohli and West Indian super star Chris Gayle makes them an interesting proposition for any business house keen to make a foray into cricket.

IPL Chairman Rajiv Shukla on his part refused to comment on the issue, suggesting the BCCI would only get involved once the two parties approached them together.

So, Vijay Mallya, a one time force in Indian sports may soon just be left with Force India- the formula 1 team- as his only connect with sports fans in India.