Team Australia headed into this year’s World Baseball Classic on the back of a breakthrough campaign in 2023, where they qualified for the quarterfinals for the first time.
Australia’s squad for the 2026 World Baseball Classic is headlined by MLB stars Curtis Mead, Jack O’Loughlin and Cleveland Guardians prospect Travis Bazzana. The 2026 WBC kicked off with Australia facing off against Chinese Taipei opener at the Tokyo Dome.
Travis Bazzana featured at second base in the WBC opener with Curtis Mead at third base, Aaron Whitefield in center field, Alex Hall as the designated hitter, Jarryd Dale at shortstop, Rixon Wingrove at first base, Robbie Perkins behind the plate, Chris Burke in left field and Tim Kennelly in right field.
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Former Baltimore Orioles ace Alex Wells started the game for Australia in their WBC opener. Australia claimed a 3-0 win after Perkins hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning and Bazzana added a solo home run in the seventh inning.
Former MLB top picks realising World Baseball Classic dream with Australia
Travis Bazzana, who is yet to make his MLB debut after being selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 MLB draft, admitted that he always dreamt of representing his country. He made his feelings know ahead of his WBC debut this week.
Growing up, I always looked ahead and kind of had a vision of things I wanted to do in this game, and this was a big part of it,” Bazzana saud. “Young me would be dreaming of (this) and now it’s here. Just got to make the most of it.”
Australia will play Czechia on March 6. They will be up against the defending champions, Japan, on March 8, followed by a clash against South Korea on March 9 to conclude their pool games.
There are but a handful of certainties in life — death, taxes, and Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani winning MVP awards. Both have won the award in each of the last two seasons, and at least one has claimed MVP honors in every season since 2021. This isn’t surprisingly considering Ohtani might be the best baseball player in the history of the game and Judge has a penchant for racking up home runs like its child’s play, but it can make betting on the MVP race tricky and potentially less lucrative.
Judge and Ohtani are once again the favorites to win each league’s MVP award, but does that make them the best betting options? Is there better value with other players? Below, I’ve identified my best bets for each league’s MVP award as well as two longshots and two players to fade with the 2026 season getting underway on Wednesday, March 26. All odds are from DraftKings, and those looking to bet on the AL and NL MVP can visit the DraftKings promo code page to take advantage of the latest offer.
AL best bet: Bobby Witt Jr. (+500)
A player’s MVP case is always strengthened if they can power their team to a playoff spot. The Kansas City Royals have been trendy picks to claim the AL Central for a few seasons now, but this is the year it could actually happen. The Detroit Tigers added an impressive piece in Framber Valdez and will welcome infielder Kevin McGonigle, one of the top prospects in baseball, to the Show. But even with Valdez in the fold and McGonigle entering the fray, do the Tigers really have the offensive firepower to beat out the Royals? Full seasons of Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone (who looked good at the World Baseball Classic) will help K.C.’s case, and Isaac Collins could prove to be a sneaky good addition.
Then, of course, there’s Bobby Witt himself. A true five-tool player, Witt should be entering his prime in his age-26 season. There may be even more power to unlock in his bat, and if he gets the Royals to a division title, he’ll get serious MVP consideration.
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The biggest road block here is Judge. The greatest slugger of his generation, Judge has only seemed to get better with age. We’ll need a bit of a stumble (or a prolonged injury) from the best right-handed hitter since Albert Pujols for Witt to get over the line. But this is baseball we’re talking about — stranger things have happened. And from a betting perspective, Witt is worth a sprinkle.
NL best bet: Juan Soto (+900)
Ohtani is a ridiculous -145 favorite to win NL MVP at DraftKings and rightfully so. The most talented baseball player of all time will be both pitching and hitting for the best team in the sport this year, and should probably be viewed as the penciled-in MVP until a shocking dip in performance or a long-term injury prevents him from being so. But in the event Ohtani does miss a chunk of time (he’ll be pitching again this year and has a history of arm trouble), who is best positioned to step into the void?
That would be Juan Soto, who somehow went under the radar in his first year in Queens despite finishing third in MVP balloting. A noticeably slow start (which was lambasted in the loud New York media) likely contributed to the narrative that Soto underperformed, but on the whole Soto still managed a 156 wRC+ — he was 56% better than league average at the plate, for the uninitiated.
The less said about his defense the better, but Soto remains a monster with the bat. If he performs like himself right out of the gate and keeps it up into October, he’ll be in contention for the MVP award … if Ohtani misses time. Or, perhaps, is abducted by aliens. It’s going to be hard to dethrone the best player in the sport.
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AL longshot: Nick Kurtz (+1500)
What Nick Kurtz accomplished in his rookie season was downright scary. In just 117 games, he launched 36 homers (including four in one game, and he narrowly missed a fifth), knocked in 90 runs and hit a hilarious .290/.383/.619. He immediately established himself as one of the preeminent sluggers in the sport, and with the A’s still marooned in their minor-league launching pad in Sacramento, he’ll have plenty of chances to keep hitting bombs.
The sophomore slump cliche doesn’t scare me here. First basemen are rarely first-round picks these days, but the A’s took Kurtz fourth overall for a reason — he’s a born hitter. He is the centerpiece of this offense moving forward, and if John Fisher’s merry band of exiled sluggers mash their way to the playoffs, he’ll be a driving force. I expect Kurtz to start the All-Star Game and get MVP votes again after he finished 12th last year. He could just win the thing this time with a full season’s worth of plate appearances.
NL longshot: Paul Skenes (+2800)
A full-time starting pitcher (read: not Ohtani) hasn’t won an MVP since 2014, when Clayton Kershaw rampaged his way through the NL with a 1.77 ERA. It takes a special effort like that, along with a relative down year from the league’s hitters, to earn a pitcher an MVP. For example, even with how good Tarik Skubal has been in his back-to-back Cy Young Award campaigns, he’s only finished seventh and fifth in the balloting.
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If anyone’s going to pull it off, it’s Skenes. The young phenom is only getting better, and he’ll also have the narrative factor on his side if the Pirates manage to stumble into the playoffs, as some prognosticators are projecting them to do. Pittsburgh’s pitching staff is excellent, and the team added a few bats (for once). Throw in a potential gangbusters rookie campaign from rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin, the consensus top prospect in the sport, and Skenes could sweep the hardware if he turns in a monster campaign and gets the Pirates back into the playoffs.
With all due respect to the Big Dumper, it’s hard to imagine him replicating his ridiculous 2025 season. Cal Raleigh should still be one of the best backstops in the game and will be central to whatever degree of success the Mariners enjoy this season — and a return to the playoffs should be the bare minimum expectation in Seattle. Raleigh is still a worthy centerpiece for a playoff contender, but MVP-level catchers are rare for a reason. He’s unlikely to reach 60 home runs again and given his previous season totals, even reaching 50 would be considered a big accomplishment.
NL fade: Shohei Ohtani (-145)
Ohtani is the best player in baseball and will be the presumptive favorite for at least the next four or five NL MVP awards. However, the issue here is the price point.
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It’s a ridiculous price for an MVP future. For example, Aaron Judge is +215 to win the AL award and he’s won three of the last four. A minus price for an awards future is bonkers and yet it’s hard to quibble with it in Ohtani’s case. I just can’t seriously endorse investing at that price.
There’s more value to be had with an option like Soto even if Ohtani is likely to win short of the MonStars taking his talent away.
Tiger Woods made his return to golf on Tuesday night, participating in The Golf League (TGL) Finals, and he had a supporting cast in the stands.
His girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, and her daughter, future University of Miami golfer Kai, had front-row seats at SoFi Center to take in the action.
They did not get the result they wanted, as Woods’ Jupiter Links, with Max Homa, Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner, lost to Los Angeles Golf Club, with Collin Morikawa, Sahith Theegala, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood. LAGC made three straight eagles to close out a 9-2 victory in Woods’ first competitive golf action in over a year.
Vanessa Trump and Kai Trump attend the match between the Jupiter Links Golf Club and the Los Angeles Golf Club at SoFi Center on March 23, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.(Cliff Hawkins/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)
The 15-time major champion and Vanessa Trump have kept their relationship relatively quiet. When they went public last year, Woods asked for privacy.
Both Vanessa and Kai attended the Genesis Invitational last month at Riviera, which Woods hosted. Vanessa and Kai attended other TGL events earlier this month as well, including a match in which Kai chatted with Travis Kelce.
Woods announced his relationship with Vanessa Trump, Donald Jr.’s ex-wife, on March 23, 2025.
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“Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together. At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts,” Woods wrote in his post.
A report in July said the two were “very serious,” and “wedding bells” could be chiming, but nothing along those lines has been made public.
Tiger Woods talks with his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, after a match against Boston Common Golf at SoFi Center on March 17, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.(James Gilbert/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)
Woods’ son, Charlie, and Vanessa’s daughter, Kai, are both competitive golfers. Kai has committed to play at the University of Miami, while Charlie will attend Florida State.
After his highly publicized divorce from Elin Nordegren, Woods was linked to Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn in the 2010s. He was dating Erica Herman at the time he won the Masters in 2019, but they, too, had a very public breakup that included sexual harassment allegations and an NDA lawsuit filed by Herman.
Woods and Nordegren have appeared to get along in recent years, as they co-parent Charlie and Sam Woods.
One step in Woods’ return is complete as he aims to play at the Masters in two weeks. He has yet to commit, but it’s tough to imagine Augusta National without the five-time green jacket winner.
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Tiger Woods congratulates Justin Rose of Los Angeles Golf Club, who won the TGL finals at SoFi Center on March 24, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.(Greg Lovett/Palm Beach Post/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Feb 15, 2026; Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy; Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States during the women’s giant slalom during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images
Mikaela Shiffrin won a record-tying sixth World Cup season title on Wednesday in Hafjell, Norway.
Heading into the giant slalom, the final race of the season, Shiffrin had an 85-point lead over Emma Aicher of Germany. A finish no lower than 15th place would result in claiming the title. Aicher could steal the title if she won the race and Shiffrin finished below 15th in the giant slalom.
Shiffrin finished 11th, and Aicher ended in 12th place.
Shiffrin, 31, tied Annemarie Moser-Proll with her sixth season championship. The Austrian won five season titles from 1971-75 and the final one in 1979.
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The 2026 Olympic champion in the slalom, Shiffrin won the World Cup title in consecutive years from 2017-19 and again in 2022 and 2023.
“It’s quite emotional,” Shiffrin said to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation after the race. “I’m really grateful to be in this position now. It’s really a big emotion, but I’m so grateful for the fight.”
Lindsey Vonn is next on the list with four overall titles.
With her slalom win on Tuesday, Shiffrin earned her 110th career victory on the World Cup circuit, extending her lead over Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden, who won 86 before his retirement in 1989.
The organisers of the London Marathon are “exploring” plans to stage the event over two days in 2027, potentially allowing more than 100,000 people with the chance to take part.
The news, which was reported by The Guardian, reflects the growing popularity of running after more than a million people entered the ballot for this year’s race.
Last year’s London Marathon broke the record for the number of participants, with over 56,000 receiving a place, but ballot applications have doubled in the space of two years.
The report from The Guardian said staging the London Marathon across Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April next year could allow around 50,000 runners on the course each day.
Increasing the number of participants would also allow more people to raise money for charity. Last year’s race set a fundraising record for the event, at £87.5m.
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The plans would require approval from the mayor’s office, who said Sadiq Khan “looks forward” to working with the event and considering if a two-day event could be possible.
“The TCS London Marathon is the world’s most popular marathon, and we are continually exploring innovative ways to enable more people to take part, while delivering positive benefits for London,” a spokesperson said.
“Together with our partners and stakeholders, we are looking at the intention for the 2027 TCS London Marathon to take place across two days. No approval has been given at this stage.
“Our immediate focus is on delivering an incredible 2026 TCS London Marathon on Sunday 26 April and ensuring every participant has an amazing experience.”
Jannik Sinner continues to rewrite history at the Miami Open 2026, defeating Alex Michelsen 7–5, 7–6 to reach the quarterfinals.
The win sees Sinner extend his record to 28 consecutive sets won in Masters 1000 event, the most by any man in history.
He also moves past Roger Federer for the third-highest win rate in Masters 1000 history, now sitting behind only Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
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Despite the straight-sets win, Sinner admitted he had to work through difficult moments, including trailing 2–5 in the second set:
“I felt like the serve helped me quite a lot today. Especially in important moments. Tiebreak also. Happy about that.”
“At the same time I know if I want to go far in this tournament I have to improve from the back of the court.”
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He also pointed to the challenge of adapting to changing conditions:
“It’s completely different conditions than yesterday night. Today’s a day match. I’m happy how I fought. We try to go improve my level and we see how it goes.”
On adjusting his positioning during the match:
“Yeah, I didn’t feel my best tennis today. So I tried to find my way through. I know myself a bit better now. I know every day can be different. We try to improve and we try to keep going.”
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The result continues a dominant run of: 28 consecutive sets won in Masters 1000 events 9 consecutive wins in Miami 20th Masters 1000 quarterfinal 5th Miami quarterfinal appearance 31 wins in his last 33 matches
Sinner has now reached at least the quarterfinal stage every time he has played in Miami.
Welcome to our weekly PGA Tour gambling-tips column, featuring picks from GOLF.com’s expert prognosticator, Brady Kannon. A seasoned golf bettor and commentator, Kannon is a host and regular guest on SportsGrid, a syndicated audio network devoted to sports and sports betting, and is a golf betting analyst for CBS Sportsline. You can follow Brady on Twitter at @LasVegasGolfer, and you can read his picks below for the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open, which gets underway Thursday.
We wrapped up the Florida Swing with our first outright winner of the season in Matt Fitzpatrick. Let’s see if we can continue the winning ways for the next two weeks deep in the heart of Texas — and then of course, in Augusta, Ga., as the first major championship of the year looms ever closer.
On to the Lone Star State it is for the Texas Children’s Houston Open and Memorial Park Golf Course for the first of two final tuneups before the Masters. Min Woo Lee is your defending champion here in Houston and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who has finished runner-up here three times, was scheduled to play in this event for a seventh straight time. As of Tuesday morning however, Scheffler withdrew, citing family reasons. He did not commit to this tournament until the last minute last Friday and then ended up pulling out as it has become understood that the Schefflers are expecting their second child. It remains to be seen if Scheffler will play next week at the Valero Texas Open or if we won’t see him again until Masters week, which begins on Monday, April 6th.
It changes the landscape of the odds board greatly where Scheffler was once a prohibitive favorite at around +300 to now being a non-starter. It is unfortunate that we don’t get to see Scheffler play this week and secondly, the prices dropping on everyone else that is still scheduled to play. The good news is that in theory, Scheffler’s absence gives our selections a much better chance of winning. We’ll see.
Memorial Park is a very long course at nearly 7,500 yards and is only a par 70. The fairways are very wide by Tour standards and the rough is very low and not very penal. The greens are large and feature a great deal of undulation. It is a bomber’s track and that is who we have seen win here since moving to this golf course six seasons ago. Tom Doak redesigned the course with Brooks Koepka serving as Player Consultant. Koepka missed the cut here in 2021 but finished fifth in 2020. He is in the field this week after consecutive finishes in Florida of 9-13-18.
Scoring around Memorial Park can be especially difficult. Last year was greatly affected by rain and soft conditions when Lee got it to 20 under par. In the previous four editions, the winning score on average was less than 13 under. The winning score proposition bet at Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook this week is Under/Over 264.5, meaning 15.5 under par.
I looked at Driving Distance this week, Strokes Gained: Ball Striking, the 450-500 yard Par 4s, Hole Proximity from 200+ yards, Scrambling, Bogey Avoidance, and Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass). One may find references to these greens being overseeded with Poa Trivialis but with the unseasonably warm temperatures going on in the Southwest, this once dormant Bermuda is waking up ahead of schedule and should figure more prominently into the turf equation this week in Houston.
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We have noted that this is a long, driver-heavy golf course and with that, I went in that direction as far as the correlated courses. I used Torrey Pines (Farmers Insurance Open), Quail Hollow Club (Truist Championship), Country Club of Jackson (Sanderson Farms), and Vidanta Vallarta (Mexico Open).
With the Scheffler WD, I am going to use current pricing with my selections rather than what I got when making my plays.
Jake Knapp (20-1)
It was a missed cut at the Players Championship the last time we saw Knapp but prior to that, he had begun the season finishing 11-5-8-8-6, and now he comes to a golf course that I believe really suits his game — long off the tee and requiring great touch on and around the greens. He was a lackluster 27th here last year but has two top-5 finishes at Torrey Pines and a win in 2024 at Vidanta Vallarta. Knapp ranks eighth on Tour in Driving Distance, 65th in SG: Approach, second in SG: Putting, and fourth in Scrambling. I imagine he will be a popular choice this week but I can’t ignore what we are all seeing and how he should fit at this course in Houston.
Nicolai Hojgaard (25-1)
Similar to Knapp, Hojgaard is one of the longer hitters in the game and is having a great start to the season with the putter. He was runner-up at Torrey Pines in 2024 and was eighth last year in Mexico. In addition to the driving and putting, Hojgaard ranks 10th on Tour in Scrambling, 28th in Hole Proximity from 200+ yards, and is 18th in Bogey Avoidance.
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Rickie Fowler (30-1)
We tried Fowler a few weeks ago at TPC Sawgrass where he finished 42nd. He is still yet to miss a cut all season and now ranks 61st in the OWGR. This will be the last event for which he can get into the top 50 to qualify for The Masters. Fowler has multiple top-10 finishes at Torrey Pines, was 16th last year at the Sanderson Farms Championship, and has been huge at Quail Hollow Club with multiple top 10s and a win in 2012. Fowler ranks 18th this season on Tour in Ball Striking, is ninth in SG: Putting, 17th in Scrambling, ninth in Bogey Avoidance, and is fourth in Par 4 Scoring.
Ryan Gerard at the 2026 Sony Open.
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Ryan Gerard (33-1)
Gerard got off to a start in 2026 that saw him finish runner-up in two consecutive weeks. The spotlight grew quickly and awfully bright as his success was hard to miss. Things have cooled off for a minute on Gerard now and it feels like it might be the right time to swoop back in. After those two second-place finishes, he took 11th at Torrey Pines, where he was 15th last year. He’s been as high as 17th in Mexico, was eighth at last year’s PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, and finished ninth here in Houston last season in his first-ever visit. Gerard ranks 15th on Tour in Ball Striking and sixth in SG: Approach.
Jordan Smith (65-1)
The Englishman is now full-time on the PGA Tour after having many years of success on the DP World Tour. He has only missed one cut in seven starts this season, finishing 16th in Phoenix last month and third at the Valspar last week. In that field, on a very demanding golf course, Smith ranked fourth for SG: Off the Tee, 13th on approach, 12th in Driving Distance, and was No. 1 for Greens in Regulation. He ranks second on Tour in Ball Striking behind only Collin Morikawa.
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Patrick Rodgers (80-1)
A Tour journeyman and Stanford Cardinal still seeking his first Tour victory, Rodgers has always been the big hitter off the tee who can putt, and we’ve seen that play out to the tune of a runner-up finish at Quail Hollow in 2015, two top-20 finishes at the Country Club of Jackson, a sixth and two 10th-place finishes at Vidanta Vallarta and four top-10 finishes at Torrey Pines. About all that is missing is indeed that first win. Rodgers is yet to miss a cut in nine starts this season. He was 16th here in Houston last year.
Tyson Fury is facing a distraction ahead of his professional comeback, with his father, John, having publicly declared his concerns. Now, Queensberry promoter Frank Warren has shared his thoughts on the comments.
‘The Gypsy King’ hung up the gloves for a fifth time when he announced his retirement following consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk during 2024 but, with his history of u-turn’s, fans refused to believe that Fury had truly fought for the last time.
Earlier this year, those fans were proven correct, as Fury revealed that he would fight Russian powerhouse Arslanbek Makhmudov in his comeback fight, ahead of a potential trilogy with Usyk or long-awaited showdown with Anthony Joshua.
In an interview with talkSPORT Boxing, Warren responded to John Fury’s words, believing that any disagreements between the pair should have been kept private.
“I never asked him to come back or encouraged him in any way because that has got to be his decision. He is a very wealthy guy, financially, he is set up for life probably 10 lives under, but he wants to fight and he has been in the gym, he is in tremendous shape and that is his decision.
“I understand where his family is coming from and where his Dad is coming from. However, it is Tyson’s decision and if he is going to come back, he is fighting in a couple of weeks’ time, and I’d much rather he does it now than sits around for four or five [months or years] because his powers won’t be the same.
“He has not got a lot of miles on the clock, so we will see. I think the big thing which upsets John is the training and, I’ve got to be honest and I mean this with the greatest of respect because I’m not involved in family matters, but it’s not the sort of thing you should be having a couple of weeks before a fight.
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“I am sure that Tyson would have preferred it not said and I am a big believer that you haven’t got to tell the world what you’ve got to say to your family.”
Just when a Bollywood blockbuster on “new India” almost stole the attention of a nation that lives and breathes cricket, the Indian Premier League (IPL) made headlines with numbers amounting to over $3 billion. Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals found new owners on Tuesday, who will pay $1.78 billion and $1.6 billion, respectively, for the teams, changing the perception around the league.
For years, IPL teams were seen mostly as high-profile sporting properties — glamorous, influential and culturally powerful, but still tied closely to the passion and prestige of their owners. That equation is now changing.
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But here’s the bigger picture. This isn’t just about two franchises surpassing a symbolic valuation milestone. It is about the IPL emerging as a sustainable business and not just a cricket league. The IPL has matured into a league with predictable revenues, premium branding and global investor appeal. The two deals indicate a fundamental shift in how cricket itself is being priced and owned.
Why these deals are happening now
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The timing of these valuations is worth noting. The IPL has achieved scale and visibility — something every serious investor craves. Its media rights for the 2023–27 cycle were sold for ₹48,390.32 crore, demonstrating the league’s ability to command enormous broadcast and digital value. Sponsorship demand remains strong, and franchise-level revenues have become easier to model. Moreover, the IPL now offers predictability to investors. Its central revenue pool, sponsorship ecosystem, ticketing upside, merchandising potential and digital fan engagement contribute to that predictability. The addition of the Women’s Premier League has expanded the league’s commercial horizon. Therefore, the IPL is a proven, scalable business.
More than just a league
The billion-dollar valuations clearly indicate that these deals sit inside a system that combines central media revenues shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), league-wide sponsorships, local commercial deals, fan communities and content distribution. That gives each team a platform effect that goes beyond wins and losses on the field.
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A conventional team business depends heavily on matchday earnings and sporting performance. By contrast, an IPL team benefits from the power of the entire league infrastructure. The franchise is a gateway into cricket’s most commercially potent ecosystem, where value is created not only through performance but through attention, content, sponsors and reach.
From vanity ownership to financial asset
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The character of IPL ownership is changing as well. In the initial years, teams were associated with their promoters, celebrities or business houses. Owning an IPL team had a strong vanity component. That has not disappeared, but the focus is shifting. Today, consortia, institutional investors and private capital increasingly view IPL stakes through the lens of returns.
This reflects the growing maturity of the league. A scarce asset with predictable income, long-term appreciation potential and strong brand visibility attracts investors who think in portfolio terms. An IPL team offers scarcity because there are only a limited number of franchises. It offers yield through revenue streams tied to the league and sponsors. And it offers appreciation because the broader cricket economy continues to expand. IPL ownership is moving from passion-driven to portfolio-driven.
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What new money sees in IPL teams
For newer investors, the appeal of IPL franchises goes well beyond the cricket field. These are media-facing consumer brands with multiple monetisation levers. They sit at the intersection of sport, entertainment, digital distribution and community engagement. That makes them especially attractive in an era when attention itself is a valuable asset.
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The modern investor sees an IPL team as a content engine, a sponsorship platform and a digital consumer brand. The level of social media engagement around these franchises is a testament to that appeal.
The Women’s Premier League adds another layer of long-term possibility. This is why IPL teams are being viewed less as sporting curiosities and more as expandable commercial vehicles. IPL is no longer only sport to investors. It is becoming an alternative asset class.
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Why Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals commanded premium valuations
The two deals, though linked by the same larger trend, reflect slightly different strengths. Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s premium is easier to understand at first glance. It has one of the most engaged fan bases in the league, enormous digital traction, strong commercial appeal and a visibility level amplified by star power and years of relevance in public conversation.
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“RCB commands a premium because of its unmatched fan engagement, commercial pull, and the legends of the game associated with it,” said Sunil Kalra, an independent cricket analyst.
Rajasthan Royals, however, represent something equally important. Their valuation underlines the strength of the IPL as a whole. Even a franchise that may not always dominate public chatter like the most high-decibel teams can still command a premium because it owns a scarce place in one of the world’s most valuable cricket leagues.
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“However, Rajasthan Royals has focused on roping in cricketing royalty and creating its brand value. Shane Warne won the first season for the team, and Rahul Dravid has been associated with RR for over a decade now. That’s cricketing royalty for you,” Kalra added.
What this means for the IPL’s future
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These deals are likely to do more than generate headlines. They may reset expectations across the league. Once billion-dollar franchise valuations are established in the market, they create a new benchmark for future stake sales, minority investments and structured capital raises. That can attract more institutional money and encourage existing owners to think more strategically about capital structure, governance and monetisation.
The longer-term impact could be profound. More professional ownership structures may lead to sharper financial discipline, stronger management practices and greater focus on long-term asset building. The IPL may now be entering a more mature, finance-led phase of growth.
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The significance of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals valuations goes far beyond two transactions. They show that IPL teams are no longer being judged only as sporting brands or promoter trophies. They are being treated as premium media properties, investable assets and magnets for serious capital. That changes the conversation around cricket itself. The IPL’s next phase may be shaped as much by balance sheets as by scorecards.
The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) called on the league to make a change to its 65-game eligibility rule for players to be considered for awards.
NBA players who fail to play 65 games are not considered for the league’s top honors, like NBA MVP. The union pointed to Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham, who emerged as an MVP candidate this season but may not be considered for the award if he misses more time. He’s currently sidelined with a collapsed lung.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward (23) drives against Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 13, 2026, in Detroit.(AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
“Cade Cunningham’s potential ineligibility for postseason awards after a career-defining season is a clear indictment of the 65-game rule and yet another example of why it must be abolished or reformed to create an exception for significant injuries,” the union said. “Since its implementation, far too many deserving players have been unfairly disqualified from end-of-season honors by this arbitrary and overly rigid quota.”
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry have missed too much time to be considered for the All-NBA teams.
Injuries have also plagued San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic this season. Each player is in line for the MVP but are nearing ineligibility.
Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell said he understood the rule but there were too many other factors at play.
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Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, left, greets Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic after an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 22, 2026, in Denver.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
“It’s for the right reasons, but it’s tough,” Mitchell said over the weekend. “We get paid money to be out there, but there’s certain things you can’t control. It’s not like guys are resting and missing these games. These are legitimate injuries, so it’s something to look at for sure because there’s no way certain guys should be in this scenario.”
Kevin Durant suggested in 2024 he was indifferent about the rule.
“I just want guys healthy and on the court too. I guess that’s what the solution is try to get guys to stay on the court,” he said at the time. “It’s just something we’ve got to deal with. I won’t say I love it, or I hate it either, but it’s just something we’ve got to deal with.”
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San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) walks on the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Monday, March 23, 2026, in Miami.(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
The rule was put in place in October in hopes of curbing load management and put an emphasis on the regular season. The rule may also impact whether players would receive a supermax contract in the future.
The recent surge in franchise valuations, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) being sold to a global consortium led by Aryaman Vikram Birla of the Aditya Birla Group for $1.78 billion (about ₹16,600 crore) and Rajasthan Royals sold to a consortium led by US-based tech entrepreneur Kal Somani at around $1.63 billion (about ₹15,300 crore), has once again pushed the Indian Premier League (IPL) into the global spotlight. The RCB deal, involving investors such as the Aditya Birla Group, the Times of India Group and Blackstone, and the Rajasthan Royals deal, which includes investors linked to the Walmart and Ford families, highlight how IPL franchises are increasingly being treated as premium global sports assets, drawing strong private equity interest.
What began in 2008 as a domestic T20 competition has evolved into one of the most commercially powerful sporting properties in the world. Backed by record-breaking media rights, strong advertiser demand and unmatched audience reach, the IPL is now frequently compared with global heavyweights such as the National Football League (NFL), the English Premier League (EPL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA).
But where does it stand when compared with the NFL, EPL or NBA?
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Is IPL among the world’s biggest sports leagues by revenue?
In absolute terms, the IPL still trails the world’s biggest leagues by a significant margin. The NFL remains the undisputed leader, generating over $20 billion annually, according to Statista data. The EPL reported revenues of £6 billion ($7.5 billion) for the 2022–23 season, while the NBA generates between $10–12 billion annually.
“Revenue-wise, the IPL is the smallest. The NFL is around $18–20 billion, the NBA $10–12 billion, the EPL around $8 billion, and the IPL is roughly $3.5–4 billion,” said Prashant Joglekar, lead sports business analyst at SportsBiznet. “It is the youngest kid on the block.”
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He added that direct comparisons can be misleading.
“We should not get into this trap right now. These properties have different legacies and were built for different purposes. The EPL operates within a football system that dates back to 1888. It is not fair to compare a 150-year-old legacy with the IPL,” Joglekar said.
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But total revenue alone does not capture the IPL’s unique strength.
Why IPL punches above its weight in global sports
Unlike most global leagues that run for several months, the IPL operates within a tightly packed two-month window, yet delivers extraordinary audience numbers and commercial returns within this limited timeframe.
The 2023 IPL season recorded over 449 million TV viewers, while digital viewership on JioCinema hit record highs.
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This compressed format creates a distinct economic dynamic.
“If you look at the number of matches, the NFL has over 270 games, the NBA more than 1,200, and the EPL 380. The IPL has just 74 matches squeezed into two months,” Joglekar said. “If per-match revenue intensity is considered, the IPL is at the top. It is more efficient and more intense.”
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Few leagues compress as much economic value into such a short window as the IPL.
Media rights and broadcast power drive IPL’s rise
At the heart of the IPL’s economic engine lies its media rights deal. The 2023–27 cycle fetched ₹48,390 crore ($6.2 billion), making it one of the most valuable sports media deals globally.
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This translates into a per-match value of roughly $13–15 million, placing the IPL among the top leagues globally in terms of match-level monetisation.
The IPL’s twin revenue streams, the broadcast on Star Sports and the digital streaming on JioCinema, have further broadened audience reach and improved monetisation efficiency.
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The format itself plays a key role in this commercial strength.
“Cricket, especially T20, is designed for brands. After every over, there is a break where ads can be inserted. Strategic time-outs and innings breaks create multiple commercial slots,” Joglekar said. “This gives it a structural advantage over sports like football, which has continuous play.”
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This is why IPL teams are increasingly viewed less as conventional cricket clubs and more as scarce media-linked assets.
But Joglekar also flagged a constraint. The broadcasting market has consolidated, mainly under JioHotstar, making it harder to assume a sharp rise in rights values in the next cycle.
Franchise valuations: Catching up with global giants?
Recent transactions suggest IPL franchises are rapidly closing the gap with global peers. Rajasthan Royals were valued at over $1.63 billion in a recent deal, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru is valued at $1.78 billion.
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In comparison, the average NFL franchise is worth $5.1 billion, while top EPL clubs such as Manchester United exceed $6 billion.
Joglekar believes the valuations are backed by strong fundamentals.
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“There is a 600–700 million strong cricket fan base in India, and it is increasingly middle-class and consumption-driven,” he said. “This creates strong monetisation opportunities across media rights, sponsorships and fan engagement.”
He also pointed to structural strengths.
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“One key factor is India’s strong domestic cricket ecosystem, which continuously produces talent. That is something many other leagues struggle with,” he said.
At the same time, scarcity plays a role.
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“Sport is one of the few live human experiences left. There is a scarcity premium, and investors, both domestic and global, are willing to pay for it,” he added.
What makes IPL different from global leagues?
The IPL’s structure sets it apart from traditional leagues. While the NFL, NBA and EPL are season-long competitions embedded in sporting calendars, the IPL operates more like a high-impact annual event.
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“In terms of media and entertainment, the IPL closely follows global properties. Like the NFL has the Super Bowl halftime show, the IPL has high-impact opening ceremonies and finals entertainment,” Joglekar said.
Few countries have built a sports property of this scale in such a short time.
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“In simple terms, if the NFL is a season and the EPL is a calendar, the IPL is an event, and that changes everything.”
Can IPL become a top-tier global league?
The IPL’s growth trajectory remains strong, driven by India’s expanding digital economy and rising advertiser interest.
Its model is already being replicated globally, from Australia’s Big Bash League to South Africa’s SA20 and leagues in the United States and the Caribbean.
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“The IPL model is already being replicated in multiple markets. Investors are building multi-league ownership structures across countries,” Joglekar said.
However, challenges remain.
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“There is pressure to expand the number of teams. If the season extends from two months to four or five months, it could dilute brand value, sponsorship intensity and audience engagement,” he warned.
Still, the broader trajectory is clear.
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“Today, the IPL is no longer just a domestic league. It is a global sports property, and we are already seeing global investors coming in,” Joglekar said.
The IPL may not yet be the world’s biggest league, but it is already one of its most powerful, and arguably its most efficient.
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