Mumbai Indians may have won the Indian Premier League 2020 but that is not all that they won. Off-field too, they have added yet another feather to their cap by becoming the most valued brand in the IPL 2020.
As per the report published by the global brand valuation agency Brand Finance, Mumbai Indians registered a hike of 7.1 per cent in their brand value to ~$70 million. This was despite the fact that PL 2020 saw a decline of 22% in this brand value owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
This was certainly a remarkable accomplishment, considering that they won the tournament outside India on foreign soil, playing their games in empty stadiums and living in bio-bubbles.
By contrast, Chennai Super Kings saw their brand value go down by a whopping 21%, understandably so after one of their worst performances in the Indian Super League history.
Another team that is worthy of a mention here is Delhi Capitals, who moved up to the second place in terms of brand value as per the Brand Finance report. This is definitely not a surprise, given that the Capitals really surprised the audience by reaching the final and putting up a commendable fight throughout the tournament. Needless to say, the club has certainly picked a lot of new fans along the way too.
Another report published in 2019 by Duff & Phelps valued the Mumbai Indians brand at ~$115 million (INR 809 crore) – up by 8.5% from the previous year.
Even if we were to keep aside the difference in numbers, it is evident that Mumbai Indians is the most valued franchise in the Indian Premier League. They have a loyal, evergrowing fanbase not only in India but also elsewhere in the world! Even punters seem to favour them – ahead of the IPL 2020, online cricket betting world pegged Mumbai Indians as the favourites to win with attractive odds.
Prolific Performance all the Way!
As five-time IPL champions, Mumbai Indians are among the most successful club in the tournament. By winning the competition in 2020, they defended their title successfully and will start the 2021 edition as two-time defending champions. Only Chennai Super Kings have achieved this feat in the past.
The 2020 edition saw Rohit Sharma-led MI finish at the top of the league table with 18 points, losing just 5 games in the entire campaign. In the qualifier and the final, they beat Delhi Capitals – once by batting first and the other time by batting second.
The year before, they beat CSK in the final by just 1 run in what was a nail-biting, thrilling affair. Coincidentally, they beat the same team in the qualifier too after finishing the league stage at the top place in the table.
Clearly, it is not just the performance that has made them the most valued brand in the IPL – it is their ability to entertain the crowds. Whether it is the antics of Kieron Pollard and Rohit Sharma or an incredibly adept digital marketing team that is constantly engaging with their audience, they have hit the right spots in all areas to reach the apex.
Case in point, in 2009, the Mumbai Indians brand was valued at ~$41.5 million and since then, it has almost doubled. This is also a testimony to the brand owners themselves – Reliance Industries – who are also at the top in their own field.