The Indian Premier League (IPL) has never shied away from big money, but even by IPL standards, this one stands out. Avram Glazer, the Executive Co-Chairman of Manchester United, has reportedly put in a jaw-dropping $1.8 billion (around Rs 16,300 crore) bid to buy Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), sending ripples through the cricketing and football worlds alike.
The bid has been made through Glazer’s investment firm, Lancer Capital, and its timing is no coincidence. RCB are riding a historic high after winning both the men’s IPL and Women’s WPL titles in 2025, cementing their status as one of the most valuable and marketable franchises in world cricket.
But who exactly is Avram Glazer, and why is he ready to pay nearly double the price of the most expensive IPL team sold just a few years ago?
Avram Glazer: The man behind the Glazer fortune
Avram Glazer, 65, is the eldest son of the late Malcolm Glazer, the American tycoon who built a vast empire spanning real estate and professional sport. Along with his brother Joel, Avram has been the most visible face of the Glazer family since their controversial takeover of Manchester United in 2005.
Unlike many modern sports owners, Glazer keeps a low public profile. He is rarely heard in press conferences and prefers operating behind the scenes, whether it is from the directors’ box at Old Trafford or the sidelines of an NFL game watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, another Glazer-owned franchise.
Financially, the numbers are staggering. Avram Glazer’s personal wealth is estimated at over $1 billion, while the broader Glazer family fortune is believed to exceed $10 billion. His influence already stretches across football and American football and now, potentially, cricket’s richest league.
Avram Glazer: Success, Silverware and the shadow of controversy
For RCB supporters, the prospect of Glazer ownership brings mixed emotions. On one hand, his track record shows that success can follow. Under Glazer ownership, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers evolved from perennial underachievers into a powerhouse, winning two Super Bowls, including the 2020 title after the bold signing of Tom Brady.
Manchester United, however, tell a more complicated story. While the club has won five Premier League titles and a Champions League during the Glazer era, the family remains deeply unpopular with fans. The leveraged buyout that loaded over £500 million of debt onto the club, combined with more than £1 billion taken out in dividends and interest payments, has fuelled protests for nearly two decades.
In 2024, Avram Glazer sold a 26 per cent stake in United to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS for £1.3 billion, handing over sporting control while retaining significant financial power, a move seen by many as a partial reset rather than a full exit.
Why RCB and why now?
Glazer’s interest in cricket is not new. He previously failed in bids for the Lucknow and Ahmedabad franchises in 2021 and already owns the Desert Vipers in the UAE’s ILT20 league. But the IPL has always been the ultimate prize.
RCB, in particular, tick several boxes. The franchise is arguably at peak valuation after its 2025 triumph, prompting current owners Diageo (United Spirits) to explore a sale. Glazer’s Rs 16,300 crore offer reflects a clear “champion premium”.
There is also the global brand factor. RCB’s fan following rivals that of Manchester United in football, driven for years by the Virat Kohli effect. For an owner who believes in building global sporting brands, RCB fits neatly into the Glazer blueprint.
Crucially, the IPL’s strict salary cap and revenue-sharing rules add a layer of financial security. Unlike the Premier League, where ownership structures can burden clubs with debt, the BCCI’s framework limits financial risk, a point likely to reassure sceptical RCB fans.
What happens next?
Glazer’s offer is currently understood to be non-binding, but it is a serious statement of intent. RCB have reportedly attracted nine bids in total, ranging from $1 billion to Glazer’s market-topping $1.8 billion proposal.
If the deal goes through, Avram Glazer would join a rare club of owners with marquee assets in the NFL, Premier League and IPL, an unprecedented footprint in global sport.
There is, however, a potential complication. Glazer is also said to be interested in the Rajasthan Royals. Under BCCI regulations, an individual cannot hold a majority stake in more than one IPL franchise. If both bids advance, the Manchester United co-chairman may be forced to choose.
For now, the ball is firmly in RCB’s court and the IPL may be on the verge of welcoming one of the most powerful and polarising owners in world sport.