Lalit Modi Controversially Calls Sanjiv Goenka 'Clown'. It's Related To RCB, RR's Record Sales

Lalit Modi, Indian Premier League (IPL)'s first chairman, launched a brutal attack on Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka over his social media post on the record-breaking sales of Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. While a Kal Somani-led consortium for USD bought RR for 1.63 billion dollars, RCB became the most expensive franchise in IPL history after being acquired by a consortium comprising Aditya Birla Group, Blackstone, Times of India Group and Bolt Ventures for 1.78 billion dollars. Goenka downplayed Lalit Modi's role in IPL's growing valuation over the years and credited the league's structure, particularly its media rights model. Modi did not mince his words while reacting to Goenka's social media post and even called him a 'clown' and added that he 'has a memory loss'.

"Seriously this guy really has a memory loss of who conceived the model. Thats ok. He just lives in his own world. We all know that @DrSanjivGoenka is a (clown emoji) wish it was his brother @hvgoenka who owned the ipl franchise. He is a true cricket fan. Not this clown - who thinks his tweet will change history. Just proves he has zero knowledge. Just swelled up head Jai hind. @IPL," Lalit Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Earlier, Goenka reacted to the record sales of the franchises with special mention of the league's governance.

“@rajasthanroyals, acquired for roughly ₹270 crore in 2008, have just been sold for over ₹15,000 crore. @RCBTweets, acquired for roughly ₹485 crore, sold for over ₹16,600 crore. Two franchises, same week, each over ₹15,000 crore,” Goenka wrote on X.

“That value was built by the architecture of the IPL. The way broadcast and digital rights were structured. The governance that gave brands confidence to invest at premium levels. Much of this traces back to the vision of @JayShah,” he added.

Lalit Modi left India in 2010 in a haze of allegations related to tax evasion, money-laundering and proxy ownership linked to the money-minting IPL. The Enforcement Directorate has claimed that Lalit Modi manipulated the process of assigning broadcast rights of the IPL in 2009, reportedly in exchange for a kickback of over 125 crores.

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