RCB strikes twice, creating new endorsement stars in Rajat Patidar, Krunal Pandya

RCB's double delight could soon translate into brand gold for Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya, with marketers expecting the franchise's title-winning momentum to unlock a new wave of endorsement opportunities for the players.

“RCB is no longer being discussed as a popular team that finally broke through. It is now being viewed as a consistently successful champion,” said Abhishek Sharma, Managing Partner at sports management company ISG. “Whenever that shift happens, brands begin looking beyond the established superstars and toward the individuals who symbolise the success story.”

According to marketers, IPL title wins can generate a short-term endorsement value uplift of 15-35%, depending on a player's existing commercial standing. Rohit Agarwal, Founder of marketing agency Alpha Zegus, said players whose visibility rises sharply during a championship run often benefit the most.

“In RCB’s case, Rajat Patidar is the clearest example of that effect,” Agarwal said. “The biggest winners are rarely the biggest stars. They are usually the players whose visibility has grown disproportionately because of the championship run.”

While Virat Kohli will remain RCB’s biggest commercial asset, it is players like Patidar and Krunal Pandya who will see a brand gold rush.

Patidar's rise has been backed by strong audience growth on social media. He added more than one million Instagram followers over the past month, making him one of the fastest-growing IPL players this season, according to data by influencer marketing platform Qoruz.

His engagement rate has crossed 12%, an unusually high figure for a player of his scale, suggesting that fan interest is translating into active engagement rather than passive followership.

Talent managers estimate that Patidar currently commands between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 15 lakh for a one-day, one-year endorsement agreement, leaving substantial room for future growth.

Anirudh Sridharan, Co-Founder of creator marketing platform HashFame, said Patidar’s social media growth is particularly notable because it has come despite limited activity on his own channels.

While Patidar is expected to see the sharpest jump in commercial value, Krunal Pandya is also likely to benefit from RCB’s title-winning campaign. Unlike Patidar, whose endorsement portfolio has largely been regional and emerging-brand focused, Pandya already enjoys broader recognition through his IPL career and association with the Pandya family brand.

Pandya’s endorsement fee is estimated between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 25 lakh. “He already has strong recognition because of his IPL history and association with the Pandya brand,” Agarwal said.

“This title strengthens his positioning as a dependable, winning all-rounder, which is attractive for brands looking for credibility and consistency.”

He expects the first wave of brand interest to come from consumer technology, smartphones, fintech, BFSI, fantasy gaming, quick commerce, automobiles, fitness and lifestyle categories. “These sectors typically move fastest after major sporting wins because they actively market around performance, ambition and leadership.”

Qoruz data shows Pandya added nearly 500,000 followers during IPL 2026, underscoring the visibility generated by RCB’s successful campaign.

Neel Gogia, Founder & CEO, IPLIX Media said that while winning teams attract commercial attention, consecutive championships create a stronger proposition by signaling sustained dominance.

He added that categories like automobiles, beverages, lifestyle and performance-focused consumer brands have been investing in cricket for a long time because of its scale and emotional connection with audiences.

RCB’s rise

The commercial momentum extends beyond individual players. According to Qoruz data, RCB generated nearly twice the social media engagement of any other IPL franchise across Instagram and YouTube during the 2026 season. The team currently boasts an engagement rate of around 8% across the two platforms, helping attract major brands such as BigBasket, boAt and BoldFit to its digital ecosystem.

“This season alone, brands invested heavily into RCB because they understand the team's social media pull extends far beyond match day,” Sridharan said. “The championship win only strengthens that position.”

Marketers believe the team's social media sponsorship inventory could become significantly more valuable ahead of IPL 2027.

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