IPL Franchises Enter Hurun India 500 with Rs 71,000 Cr Value

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has made another significant leap in its corporate evolution as five of its franchises got included on the 2025 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 list of India's most valuable non-state-run companies. The presence of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) shows the way the cricket franchises are being increasingly seen as business entities, not just sports ones.

• Five IPL franchises debut in Hurun India 500 rankings.
• KKR leads IPL teams with Rs 20,850 crore valuation.
• Combined franchise valuation surpasses Rs 71,000 crore milestone.

The five teams are valued at over Rs 71,000 crore combined, and that puts the league in the same league as some of the top companies in the country, highlighting its status as a powerful sports, entertainment, and business hub.

KKR was the most valuable among all the five franchises with a valuation of Rs 20,850 crore as ranked 270th overall. CSK was ranked just behind at 285th with a valuation of Rs 19,550 crore while Royal Challengers Bengaluru was ranked at 330th with a valuation of Rs 16,700 crore. Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings were the two teams to enter the list with valuations of Rs 15,700 crore and Rs 14,050 crore, respectively.

The rankings have shown that franchise value is becoming more about than just on-field performance, with other attributes such as brand strength, fan engagement, sponsorship appeal, media exposure, and commercial scalability playing a greater role.

IPL Becomes a Major Business Asset Class

Industry observers suggest the development is a sign of the IPL developing into an all-round business platform. Over the years, the various revenue streams generated by broadcasting rights, sponsorship, ticket sales, merchandising, digital content and international franchise expansion have greatly improved franchise valuations.

The league's media rights agreement and its expanding digital footprint has further bolstered its commercial appeal, giving the franchises a sustainable business model to sustain beyond the seasons of cricket tournaments.

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Hurun India 500 Highlights Growing Corporate Scale

India's top 500 non-state owned companies are valued at about $3.4 trillion by the 2025 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500. Firms had to be valued at a minimum of Rs 10,230 crore to make it to this year's list of companies. The report saw 95 new companies joining the list, which is the highest ever, indicating the fast growth of the corporate sector in India.

The presence of Indian Premier League franchises in the ranking indicates a new trend in the valuation of sports assets in India, where cricket franchises are now regarded more as high-value businesses with the potential to generate recurring revenues, attract global investors, and generate long-term enterprise value.