The IPL Season 19 is generating significant buzz as two of the league’s biggest franchises—Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals—are currently in the market, with private equity firms actively negotiating deals expected to close by the end of this week.
Lalit Modi, the founder and architect of franchise cricket in India, has shared his views on the league’s financial structure and future, outlining a vision that could transform global sports economics.
In an interview aired on Monday, Modi said things related to franchise sports in the country must be looked at objectively.
“If the value of a franchise is $2 billion today, it must become $2.4 billion by the end of this year—that means at least a 20 per cent jump in overall valuation,” he said, adding that even in the worst-case scenario, franchises must deliver 10–15 per cent annual growth.
The IPL is already competing with major global leagues such as the NFL, NBA, and Champions League. Modi believes each franchise could soon touch the $2 billion valuation mark.
He predicted that if current trends continue, franchise valuations could double within the next five years, driven by strong financial gains and favourable conditions ahead of the next season.
India currently has 650–690 million smartphone users, second only to China. By 2030, this number is expected to reach 1.2 billion with the massive rollout of 5G.
Average monthly data usage per user is projected to double to nearly 62 GB, fundamentally changing how sports content is consumed.
NBA franchises are currently valued between $4 billion and $10 billion. Modi’s ambitious target of pushing IPL teams towards $4 billion in the next five years reflects aggressive efforts by the Indian sports ministry in collaboration with private equity players.
Also read: Axar opposes IPL’s Impact Player rule
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