Bengaluru, Aug 28: Nearly three months after the tragic stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives and injured 75 during their homecoming
celebrations, IPL 2025 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have broken their silence with a heartfelt social media post.
The post, shared on Thursday (August 28), marked the franchise's first communication since winning their maiden IPL title earlier this year. Addressing fans, RCB admitted that their prolonged silence was a reflection of "grief" rather than indifference.
"That day broke our hearts, and the silence since then has been our way of holding space," RCB said in the statement.
'RCB Cares' - A New Beginning
RCB used the post to introduce 'RCB Cares', a new platform dedicated to healing, honoring, and supporting their fan community. The franchise explained that the initiative grew out of deep introspection following the June 4 tragedy.
"In that silence, we've been grieving. Listening. Learning. And slowly, we've begun to build something more than just a response. That's how RCB Cares came to life," the post read.
The initiative promises "meaningful action shaped by our community and fans," reflecting RCB's intent to move forward with responsibility and compassion.
What Did RCB Post Say?
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 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 & 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
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
Aftermath of the Tragedy
The stampede, which occurred on June 4 during RCB's long-awaited IPL victory celebrations, cast a shadow over the franchise's historic triumph. While Virat Kohli and teammates lifted the trophy at the Chinnaswamy, chaos outside the venue turned deadly, sparking outrage over poor crowd management.
- The fallout has been severe:
- The ICC relocated Women's ODI World Cup matches from Bengaluru to Mumbai, citing "unforeseen circumstances. "
- The Maharaja T20 Trophy was shifted to Mysuru after Bengaluru Police denied clearance for matches at Chinnaswamy.
- The stadium itself was temporarily declared unfit for major events following the investigation.
For a team that waited 18 years to win its first IPL title, the celebrations were supposed to be historic. Instead, the tragedy left the RCB family grieving. With "RCB Cares," the franchise hopes to rebuild trust and reconnect with fans while honouring the memory of those who lost their lives.
