The 2025 champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), have issued a statement nearly three months after the stampede at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which claimed 11 lives during the team’s victory celebrations.
They sent an emotional message to their fans – the self-styled ’12th Man Army’- while announcing the launch of ‘RCB Cares’, an initiative aimed at honouring supporters and assisting families affected by the stampede that marred the team’s title celebrations in June.
The incident occured on June 04 2025, when thousands gathered outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to celebrate RCB’s maiden IPL title. 11 people lost their lives while 56 others were injured in the crush, even as festivities continued inside the venue.
The contrast drew widespread outrage, with the franchise facing heavy criticism for its muted reponse.
In the aftermath, RCB announced compensation of INR 10 lakh for each of the deceased families and launched the ‘RCB Cares’ fund to support injured fans and provide medical assistance.
These measures were presented as a way to reaffirm the club’s solidarity with its supporters in a time of grief.
The Karnataka state government also placed responsibility for the incident on RCB, further fueling public anger.
Dear 12th Man Army, this is our heartfelt letter to you!
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… pic.twitter.com/g0lOXAuYbd
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) August 28, 2025
While the franchise had issued a brief statement of condolence immediately after the tragedy, their prolonged silence remained a source of mounting scrutiny.
RCB returned on Instagram with a candid post, acknowleding the grief and unveiling their new initiative.
“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.”
“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 statement added.
The tragedy not only claimed many lives but also tarnished the reputation of Bengaluru’s iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Owing to “unforeseen circumstances”, the ICC announced that Mumbai will replace Bengaluru as one of the five venues for next month’s women’s ODI World Cup.
An inquiry into the stampede that occured during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL title celebrations earlier this year has declared the Chinnaswamy unfit to host major events.
