Last Updated: January 25, 2023, 6:39 p.m
The Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited successfully acquired the rights to own and operate a franchise in the Women’s Premier League. A Diageo India-owned subsidiary, which runs the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL, got the hold of the team with a bidding amount of Rs 901 crores.
“Royal Challengers Bangalore marked a historic moment today which will be remembered and celebrated for many years to come. We are thrilled to be a part of this mission with BCCI to revolutionise women’s cricket, not just in India but across the globe. At the core of Diageo, is the value of gender inclusivity that embraces diversity in the broadest possible sense and this enterprise champions us to welcome and celebrate women’s cricket for who they are and the value they bring in the journey of this sport, Cricket,” said Prathmesh Mishra, Chairman of Royal Challengers Bangalore.
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“Therefore, it is a fitting asset in the right direction for Diageo India-owned franchise. We held back all our investments in overseas teams to own a team that aligns with this philosophy and core value, and it gives us immense pleasure to have marked this accomplishment positively. We really look forward to bringing the first season of Women’s IPL to our most loyal and lovely fans,” he added.
The inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League, to be played between five teams, is expected to be held in March this year and could include 22 matches. The WPL replaces the Women’s T20 Challenge, a three-team exhibition tournament, as India’s main women’s T20 franchise competition.
“We are thrilled to strengthen our journey in cricket with the addition of a women’s team. Women’s cricket has shown massive growth in the past few years, and it has promising potential for growth in India,” said Rajesh V Menon, Head and Vice President of Royal Challengers Bangalore.
“We have been following women’s leagues very closely and our scouting team has set their eyes on women cricketers for some time now, as part of RCB Hinterland scouting system and it gives us immense joy to see it all coming together for a team that sets to play for the inaugural edition of women’s IPL in the country,” he added.
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On January 16, Viacom18 Media Private Limited won the consolidated bid for media rights (i.e., Global Televisions Rights and Global Digital Rights) of the WPL for 2023-2027.
Viacom18 won the rights with a bid of INR 951 crores, which translates to a per-match value of INR 7.09 crores. It is believed that 22 matches could be held for the first three seasons with a possibility of increasing the matches to either 33 or 34 from 2026 onwards.
(With IANS Inputs)
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