Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is set to change ownership before the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). This revelation didn’t really catch anyone off guard. For months, there have been whispers that Diageo PLC was looking to sell the cricket franchise. The British spirits powerhouse sees RCB as a ‘non-core’ business and is eager to move on. Several interested parties have emerged, including Adar Poonawalla, the owner and CEO of Serum Institute of India, and Parth Jindal from the Jindal South West (JSW) Group, who co-owns the Delhi Capitals (DC). Now, it seems RCB could have a new owner by March 31, 2026. This news has left die-hard RCB fans feeling anxious. They worry that the franchise might not only change hands but also its name, reminiscent of what happened with the Deccan Chargers. Fans are concerned that the beloved Royal Challengers Bengaluru name, which has been around since the IPL kicked off in 2008, could be at risk. Let’s rewind a bit. The original name was inspired by Vijay Mallya’s decision to brand the IPL franchise after his Indian whisky, Royal Challenge. He thought it would be a clever way to promote his spirits without spending a dime. Now, let’s dive into the ownership change. Also Read: Harmanpreet Kaur Tries to Touch Jay Shah’s Feet During Trophy Hand Over, Video Goes Viral Will RCB Have to Change Their Name? In 2016, when Mallya stepped down as Chairman of United Spirits Limited (USL), a subsidiary of Diageo, the company took control of the IPL franchise. At that time, there was no name change. This suggests that a name change isn’t a given if RCB changes ownership. However, it’s not completely off the table. Ultimately, it’s up to the new owner to decide what to call their franchise. The current champions are under the trademark of Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited, but that could easily change if Diageo sells RCB. Just two days ago, The Sun Group announced they would be renaming The Hundred franchise from Northern Superchargers to Sunrisers Leeds. Of course, there’s a difference here. The Sun Group already owns other cricket franchises like Sunrisers Hyderabad and Sunrisers Eastern Cape.