Kolkata based business tycoon Sanjeev Goenka was given the Lucknow franchise for INR 7090 crore. Since RSPG Group placed the highest bid, they got to choose the city of their own choice.
Earlier in 2015 the RSPG Group bagged the rights for the Pune based franchise-Rising Pune Supergiant’s. The franchise was there in the cash rich league for only two seasons.
In its first season i.e., in the year 2016 the franchise named MS Dhoni as the captain of the squad. But the World Cup winner was sacked after finishing 7th in the table.
In the following season, Steve Smith was named as the captain of the team. RPS made it to the finals in 2017 but lost to Mumbai Indians by one run.
In the 2018 edition of IPL, Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings returned to the IPL.
The RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate company. Its headquarters is located in Kolkata. It was founded by Sanjiv Goenka on 13 July 2011.
The company has a net worth of about $6 billion and the revenue is $4 billion. The company mainly deals in power and energy, carbon black manufacturing, retail, IT-enabled services, FMCG, media and entertainment, infrastructure and education.
The RSPG Group holds a major stake in the Indian Super League (ISL) franchise ATK Mohun Bagan. In the year 2020, the group acquired a majority stake in Mohun Bagan Football Club. Its name was later changed to ATK Mohun Bagan in June 1, 2020.