Manchester United’s Executive Co-Chairman, Avram Glazer, has opted out of the race to buy Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of the 19th season of the Indian Premier League, according to multiple reports. Glazer was one of three players in the race to buy RCB. It was being reported that Glazer has a major interest in buying the successful franchise. The American businessman already has a variety of majority stakes in sports teams around the world.
Avram Glazer’s investments in teams around the world
Avram Glazer, son of Malcolm Glazer, is a member of the Glazer family. He co-owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the National Football League. However, around the football world, Glazer is known for being the co-chairman of Manchester United. The Glazer family owns a majority stake in the legendary English club.
Glazer has a private equity investment firm, Lancer Capital. He had entered the world of cricket through Lancer Capital and bought the Desert Vipers team in the ILT20.
Why is RCB such a hot property for buyers?
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru, for a long time, had been the joke of the league for never winning the trophy. However, despite all the failures, it was one of the teams with the highest fan base. The presence of Virat Kohli in the team was a major contributor to the team’s massive fan following over the years. The only missing piece in RCB’s otherwise successful legacy was the titles. However, since 2024, the team has not only broken the rut but has been one of the most successful teams across the men’s and women’s competitions. They now have two Women’s Premier League titles and an Indian Premier League title.
In 2024, RCB won their first title as Smriti Mandhana led them to the WPL trophy. In 2025, a wait of 18 years ended as Rajat Patidar led the men’s team to the IPL title. Mandhana became only the second captain to win the WPL twice as the women’s team of RCB lifted the WPL trophy again in 2026.
Who are the other interested parties to buy RCB?
Two consortia (consortium plural) that remain in the race have interesting Indian connections. The first consortium is led by Manipal Hospitals’ Dr. Ranjan Pai. He is joined by US private equity firm KKR and Singapore investment major Temasek. The other consortium is backed by Azim Premji’s investment office, Premji Invest. Along with Premji Invest, Swedish private equity firm EQT forms the second consortium.
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