Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday shared an emotional note with the fans and supporters after the three months of stampede that ruined the team’s historic Indian Premier League (IPL) title celebrations in June.
RCB unveiled “RCB Cares,” an initiative devoted to assisting families impacted by the stampede.
The tragedy took place on June 4, 2025, when thousands of supporters gathered outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to participate in the RCB’s maiden IPL triumph celebration.
The jubilant atmosphere turned tragic as overcrowding led to a deadly crush. Eleven lives were lost and 56 others were injured, while celebrations inside the stadium continued. The sharp contrast between the festivities and the chaos outside drew widespread anger, with the franchise criticized for its subdued response.
In the days that followed, RCB announced compensation of ₹10 lakh for each bereaved family and launched the “RCB Cares” fund to provide medical support to those injured. The move was positioned as an attempt to reaffirm the team’s solidarity with its passionate fan base during an immensely difficult period.
The state government also attributed responsibility to the franchise, intensifying public scrutiny. While RCB had issued a brief condolence message immediately after the incident, their extended silence on social media became a focal point of criticism.
Breaking that silence on Thursday, the team posted a candid statement that directly addressed its supporters — the self-styled “12th Man Army.” The message read:
“It’s been close to three months since we last posted here. The silence wasn’t absence. It was grief. This space was once filled with energy, memories and moments that you enjoyed the most. But June 4th changed everything. That day broke our hearts, and the silence since then has been our way of holding space.
Dear 12th Man Army, this is our heartfelt letter to you!
In that silence, we’ve been grieving. Listening. Learning. And slowly, we’ve begun to build something more than just a response. Something we truly believe in. That’s how RCB Cares came to life. It grew out of a need to honour, to heal, and to stand beside our fans. A platform for meaningful action shaped by our community and fans.
We return to this space today, not with celebration but with care. To share. To stand with you. To walk forward, together. To continue being the pride of Karnataka. RCB Cares. And we always will. More details soon.
The aftermath of the stampede extended beyond grief and compensation. Bengaluru’s iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium also suffered reputational damage. An inquiry into the incident declared the venue unfit to host major events, citing safety concerns. In response, the ICC reassigned Mumbai as one of the five host cities for the upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup, replacing Bengaluru due to what it described as “unforeseen circumstances.”
For RCB, the tragedy has become a turning point in how the franchise engages with its fan base. What began as a season of triumph — the end of a long quest for an IPL title — has now been reshaped by mourning, accountability, and an attempt to rebuild trust. With “RCB Cares,” the franchise is seeking to transform grief into a framework of support, solidarity, and remembrance for those who suffered most.
