BLACKSTONE CHAIRMAN Stephen Schwarzman marked the IPL title win by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by wearing an official team jersey during the firm’s internal employee broadcast.
Blackstone is part of the consortium that acquired RCB from United Spirits Limited, a Diageo subsidiary, in a deal announced in March 2026. The consortium comprising Aditya Birla Group, The Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures, and Blackstone’s BXPE valued the franchise at Rs 16,660 crore (approximately US$1.78 billion), covering both the men’s IPL and women’s WPL teams
Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained the IPL title, defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the 2026 final in Ahmedabad. Chasing 156, RCB completed the pursuit on the back of an unbeaten 75 from Virat Kohli, after their bowlers had restricted Gujarat Titans to 155 for eight.
The victory marked RCB’s second consecutive IPL title, having won their maiden championship in 2025. The franchise also holds WPL titles from 2024 and 2026, making them the first franchise to simultaneously hold both the IPL and WPL championships.
