Blackstone Eyes RCB: Joins Birla-Blitzer Consortium in IPL Franchise Race

• Blackstone, the world's largest private equity fund, is in talks to join the Aditya Birla Group and David Blitzer consortium for a joint bid for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
• Moneycontrol previously reported the Birla-Blitzer combine's interest and has now revealed Blackstone's potential involvement, likely through its overseas fund for minority stakes.
• Other bidders for RCB include a consortium led by Dr. Ranjan Pai (Manipal Hospitals, KKR, Temasek) and another by EQT and Premji Invest.
• Arcelor Mittal's promoter family, led by CEO Aditya Mittal, may also enter the race, potentially making it a four-way competition.
• The sale process for Diageo-owned RCB, initiated in November, is expected to conclude before March 31, with valuations for the 100% stake ranging from $1.5 billion to $2 billion.