KEY POINTS
- IPL’s brand value plummets 20% to $9.6bn, its second-ever historic fall.
- Mid-season suspension over India-Pakistan tensions shattered advertiser confidence.
- Bans on gaming & crypto ads stripped away major sponsorship revenue.
- Nine out of ten team franchises saw their individual valuations decline sharply.
- Only Gujarat Titans grew (+2%), credited to stable performance and planning.
ISLAMABAD: The commercial aura of the world’s richest cricket league has suffered a severe blow, with the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) brand value witnessing a historic 20% decline in 2025.
According to the latest annual report from brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance, the IPL’s overall worth has fallen to $9.6 billion, marking only the second major devaluation in its 18-year history since the pandemic-hit 2020 season.
Geopolitical Disruption and Eroding Sponsor Confidence
Analysts pinpoint a “perfect storm” of operational disruption and structural challenges as the primary drivers behind the sharp decline.
The most immediate shock occurred in May 2025, when the tournament was abruptly suspended for nearly a week due to escalating border tensions between Pakistan and India. This unprecedented mid-season stoppage sowed deep uncertainty, critically disrupting broadcast schedules, match-day commercial activations, and long-planned advertising campaigns.
“The uncertainty directly hit advertising exposure,” a brand expert close to the report stated. “A sudden suspension fractures viewer continuity and fundamentally undermines the ‘can’t-miss’ reliability that broadcasters and sponsors pay a premium for. The commercial momentum simply grinds to a halt.”
Compounding Structural Pressures
Beyond the geopolitical shock, the league faced compounded commercial headwinds that eroded its financial foundation. India’s ban on real-money gaming advertisements removed one of the IPL’s most dominant and high-spending sponsorship categories. This exit was exacerbated by the continued withdrawal of cryptocurrency partners, further narrowing the league’s sponsorship pool.
Simultaneously, the IPL contended with increased competition, facing a scheduling clash with Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10, which complicated global broadcast windows. Furthermore, ongoing ambiguity surrounding the next mega auction created planning uncertainty for franchises, stifling long-term commercial deal-making.
This downturn was foreshadowed by an earlier analysis from Deals and Performance (D&P) Advisory, which tracked a consecutive drop in the league’s enterprise value from INR 92,500 crore in 2023 to INR 82,700 crore in 2024, and further to INR 76,100 crore in 2025.
Franchise Values Mirror Broader Downturn
The financial distress was reflected across team valuations, with nine out of ten franchises recording declines in brand worth. Iconic teams were among the hardest hit: Mumbai Indians fell 10% to $108 million, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru dropped to $105 million.
The most severe losses were seen by several prominent teams
Chennai Super Kings: down 24% to $93 million.
Kolkata Knight Riders: down 33% to $73 million.
Sunrisers Hyderabad: down 34% to $56 million.
Rajasthan Royals: steepest fall of 35% to $53 million.
Other franchises, including Punjab Kings ($66 million), Lucknow Super Giants ($59 million), and Delhi Capitals (down 26% to $59 million), also reported significant declines.
Gujarat Titans Stands as Lone Exception
The Gujarat Titans emerged as the sole resilient performer, registering a 2% increase to $70 million. Analysts credit the team’s stable on-field performance, robust fan engagement, and consistent commercial strategy for insulating it from the broader downturn.
The 2025 valuation report underscores a critical juncture for the IPL, highlighting its vulnerability to external shocks and pressing the need for strategic diversification of its revenue base and a more stable long-term commercial framework to restore confidence among investors, broadcasters, and sponsors.
