IPL 2023: RCB Unbox Marks Returns of Fans to M Chinnaswamy Stadium After 3 Years

Former RCB players, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers were inducted into the RCB 'Hall of Fame' as a mark of respect.

IPL 2023: Royal Challengers Bangalore welcomed fans back at the M Chinnaswamy stadium through their 'RCB Unbox' event.

(Photo: Twitter/RCBTweets)

Royal Challengers Bangalore welcomed fans at their den, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, after a long gap of three years on Sunday, 26 March – and in an unprecedented fashion. The loyalists thronged to attend 'RCB Unbox', an event wherein the entire squad was seen practicing for the first time ahead of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, along live musical performances.

The fans also witnessed the coming back of two cricketers who are now part of the RCB folklore — Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers. They were inducted into RCB Hall Of Fame and as a mark of respect, the RCB retired the jerseys of AB (17) and Chris Gayle (333) forever from its roster.

“First of all, a big thanks to RCB for inducting me into the Hall Of Fame. I have so many fun memories of playing at the Chinnaswamy Stadium for the RCB. It feels like homecoming for me and it was a delight for me to reconnect with the team, the players and above all the fans. The RCB, RCB chant will always stay with me,” said Chris Gayle.

“It is a massively touching gesture by RCB to induct me into the Hall Of Fame and it has a very special place in my heart. I have missed the atmosphere at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, and it was enthralling for me to relieve all those experiences once more during the RCB Unbox,” said AB De Villiers.

The stadium was packed to the rafters with live music beats by Sonu Nigam and Jason Derulo followed by the arrival of Virat Kohli, Faf Du Plessis, ABD and Chris Gayle were greeted with thundering cheers and the iconic chant — RCB, RCB.

“I am quite excited to welcome back fans to the stadium after 3 years. It was such an exhilarating experience to practice in front of some amazing fans as part of the RCB Unbox. It was also thrilling to welcome back AB and Chris for their special day, and it was awesome to feel the energy,” said RCB captain Faf du Plessis.

The Launch of RCB Innovation Lab

RCB also took a giant step forward in merging sports and lifestyle. As a brand with pan-India presence and rapidly rising global visibility, RCB is intending to show a new path to the audience in India while fusing together performance improvement and excellence on and off the field, with the introduction of innovative concepts, a first in the Indian sporting landscape — RCB Innovation Lab.

RCB Innovation Lab aims to generate insight, ideas, methodologies and products that shape the future of sports in India. At the core of this aim is an aspiration to develop adaptable people and leaders, capable of driving performance improvement and excellence on and off the field.

Mo Bobat, Performance Consultant of RCB, Rajesh Menon, Head & Vice President of Royal Challengers Bangalore, Abhishek Humbad, Founder and CEO of Goodera and Laura McQueen, Leaders’ Managing Director, during the RCB Unbox event.

RCB innovation Lab is based on two principles, to bring sports innovation to as many people and to collaborate with innovative organisations.

RCB in association with the LEADERS, organiser of the most prestigious global sports communities through events, communities and intelligence will connect the most influential people in sports to the most powerful ideas in Sports, thereby bring the global sports leaders together in India for the first time and discuss and drive the future of sports in South East Asia.

RCB’s Aspirations in the ‘Go Green’ Initiative

RCB started the journey of green initiative with the first ever “green game” in 2011. Joined WWF India as the face of Namma Bengaluru for Earth Hour in 2012 and officially declared Carbon Neutrality through fan driven initiatives and not the purchase of carbon credits. RCB became the World’s first Carbon Neutral Cricket Team in 2013. From 2014 to 2019, fan engagement recorded the green pledges, installation of 1422 solar panels in RCB’s home ground - M Chinnaswamy stadium, with an overall capacity of 400KW, establishment of waste management centre for sustainable waste disposal of wet and dry waste in the stadium where ~8 tones waste was segregated per match.

RCB is now moving forward in this green movement with a holistic approach to carbon neutrality.

The franchise now aims to make Chinnaswamy, a green stadium, rejuvenate the Lakes and create a network of green schools across Bengaluru to encourage green initiates and sustainable living for future. They also aim to continue creating pet friendly stands, an initiative undertaken in 2019.

RCB has entered an alliance with Goodera, the world's leading volunteering platform, to drive Go Green initiatives. Go Green initiatives includes Green Lakes, Green Schools, Green Stadium, and Green Army.

As a first step, RCB will be restoring 2 lakes in South Bengaluru covering 44 acres that affects the nearby area with floods and if rejuvenated will impact the connected lakes and land, to make it more livable and sustainable. As with any other venture of RCB, the fan engagement is central to this mission as well. We intend to transform Go Green Initiative into a movement by fan engagement with a purpose.

The RCB will also transform nearly 200 educational institutions in Bengaluru into green schools and earning a special green certificate will work as a source of motivation for them.