A lot has changed for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) since the Bengaluru stampede, changing the narrative of the most loved IPL franchise. When Virat Kohli’s dream and other RCB players’ hopes finally materialised on June 3, winning the maiden IPL title after 18 years, no one anticipated it would eventually invite an unforgettable tragedy. The unofficial and rushed IPL celebration on June 4 outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium ended in the deaths of 11 RCB fans, and 56 individuals were injured.
After this heartbreaking incident, almost three months have gone by, but RCB’s official Instagram page, with more than 21 million followers, went silent. Meanwhile, the legal inquiry continued, resulting in the initial version by the Karnataka Government, which cleanly blamed RCB management and event organisers for the mishap. The event did not follow proper police permission and required protocols.
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RCB finally broke the silence on the Internet with a recent post shared on August 28 (Thursday) on Instagram, mentioning “RCB Cares” as an emphatic approach to talk about the tragedy and its aftermath.
In the letter dedicated to fans and cricket lovers, RCB introduced what RCB Cares is all about. They shared what silence meant for the franchise, reflecting on the purpose of this page, but the tragedy ignited moments of grief, lessons and listening. With RCB Cares, a platform to look after fans has been designed to encourage real steps to stand together. The post ends with “More details soon…”.
A few days ago, RCB’s Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat, talked about the fatal Bengaluru stampede and how they had been waiting to win the IPL title for their fans only.
“They’ve been the patient ones. Some of us are new. These fans have waited 18 years, so we wanted to do it for them, and for some of them to have lost their lives just feels incredibly sad. We look forward to being able to recognise those people and their families. Their stories have become a part of our history now. Every sports team has a history, and it has a heritage. What they’ve experienced becomes a part of our heritage and history, and we have to honour them.”
As compensation, RCB had extended their support to the affected, offering 10 lakh to people who suffered out of a whopping revenue of 514 crore for 2024-25.
The Bengaluru Stampede case is still hanging in the court. Waiting for the final verdict, fans eye the future of RCB as it is still unclear when M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will host matches again after the intense incident, which sparked controversy.
