For the first time in five years, the brand value of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has fallen by 20%, touching $9.6 billion for 2025 compared with $12 billion in 2024, brand valuation and consultancy firm Brand Finance said in its latest report. This will also be the first time in two years that the IPL’s brand value has slipped below the $10-billion mark, the consultancy noted.
The brand insights firm attributed the decline to geopolitical factors and uncertainty linked to team reshuffles. This uncertainty has also been reflected in the brand values of the top four franchises — Mumbai Indians (MI), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) — which fell by 9–33% in 2025. Last year, these teams had crossed the $100-million mark in brand value, growing between 36% and 70%.
IPL’s overall brand value had earlier fallen by over 20% in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Engagement drives growth
“The league has navigated regional conflicts and demonstrated a promising evolution in value creation, reflecting strong engagement on and off the field,” said Ajimon Francis, Managing Director, Brand Finance.
The T20 league had first crossed the $10-billion mark in 2023 and stayed above that level through 2024. Brand Finance said the IPL achieved a strong online broadcasting record with 384.6 billion minutes of watch time in the 2025 season, underscoring its engagement and accessibility.
Mumbai Indians emerged as the most valuable team with a brand value of $108 million, rising from second place last year. MI also retained its third position in brand strength, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 85.0 out of 100.
RCB’ brand value surges
Reigning champions RCB ranked second with a brand value of $105 million, climbing to second place in BSI with a score of 89.5.
Chennai Super Kings, third this year with a brand value of $93 million, faced uncertainties around team composition, leadership, and player combinations during the season. However, it recorded the strongest BSI at 92.6 out of 100.
Brand Finance also highlighted significant growth potential for the top five IPL teams, with opportunities to lift brand values closer to major football leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1. The combined brand value of the top five IPL teams stands at $449 million, about three times lower than top teams in these leagues, whose brand values range from $2 billion (Ligue 1) to $6.9 billion (Premier League).