Introduction to the Sale of the Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers, a family-run business since Jerry Buss purchased the franchise in 1979, will be sold to Dodgers controlling owner Mark Walter and TWG Global, according to multiple people briefed on the deal.
The Deal Details
The deal is expected to occur with the Lakers’ valuation being about $10 billion — a record for a professional sports franchise. Walter will now lead the city’s two premier professional sports teams.
Background on the Lakers’ Ownership
Control of the Lakers went into a family trust after Buss died in 2013, with daughter Jeanie Buss operating as the team’s governor. The structure of the trust meant the majority of Buss’ six children — Johnny, Jim, Jeanie, Janie, Joey, and Jesse — would need to agree for a sale to occur.
The Structure of the Family Trust
The structure of the family trust, according to people familiar with it, doesn’t allow for ownership to pass down to heirs after death, meaning the split among the siblings would go from being shared six ways down to five and so on.
Reaction to the Sale
The sale was viewed as a massive surprise in NBA circles. Jerry Buss bought the Lakers for $67.5 million in 1979 in a deal that included the Los Angeles Kings and the Forum in Inglewood. Buss sold the Kings to Bruce McNall in 1988.
Tumult in the Family
Since Buss’ death in 2013, the family has dealt with a fair amount of tumult, including Jeanie Buss removing her brother Jim from his position as executive vice president of basketball operations in 2017. Shortly after, brothers Jim and Johnny attempted to rebuild the team’s board of directors without their sister. The situation was quickly resolved with Jeanie Buss cemented as the head of the organization after the takeover attempt failed.
Jeanie Buss’ Role After the Sale
Jeanie Buss reportedly will remain governor under the terms of the sale, representing TWG in league meetings. Controlling governors need to own at least 15% of the franchise to serve. The Buss family owned 66%.
Implications of the Sale
The sale will end family-run control of the Lakers, who have achieved incredible success — 11 NBA championships earned by some of the league’s most iconic figures, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James — under Buss and his children’s leadership.
Reaction from Magic Johnson
“I know that my sister Jeanie would have only considered selling the Lakers organization to someone she knows and trusts would carry on the Buss legacy, started by her father Dr. Buss. Now she can comfortably pass the baton to Mark Walter, with whom she has a real friendship and can trust,” Magic Johnson wrote in a post on X.
Jeanie Buss’ Comfort with the Sale
Jeanie Buss will remain the governor of the Lakers after her family completes the sale of the team to Dodgers controlling owner Mark Walter.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“She’s witnessed him build a winning team with the Dodgers and knows that Mark will do right by the Lakers team, organization, and fans! Both are extremely intelligent, visionaries, great leaders, and have positively impacted the greater Los Angeles community! I love both my sister @JeanieBuss and my business partner Mark Walter.”
Recent Sales of Sports Franchises
In March, Bill Chisholm purchased the Boston Celtics from Wyc Grousbeck for $6.1 billion. Mark Cuban sold his control of the Dallas Mavericks late in 2023 for $3.5 billion. And earlier that year, Marc Lasry sold the Milwaukee Bucks for $3.5 billion. Grousbeck and Cuban were two of Jeanie Buss’ closest confidantes among league ownership. At the end of 2022, Mat Ishbia bought the Phoenix Suns for $4 billion.
Walter’s Investment in the Lakers
Walter and Todd Boehly became the Lakers’ largest minority shareholders in 2021 when they bought 27% of the franchise — a stake previously held by Phil Anschutz.
Statement from Mark Walter
“The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful and admired franchises in sports history,” Walter said in a news release at the time. “I have watched the organization grow under Jeanie’s leadership and couldn’t be more excited to partner with her and the entire management team. I am committed to supporting the franchise’s iconic status by continuing to bring together culture, community and entertainment to Lakers’ fans.”
Mark Walter’s Background
Walter was a relatively anonymous billionaire with extensive holdings in the insurance industry in 2012, when Johnson and Stan Kasten were the marquee partners in the purchase of the Dodgers for $2 billion, then the largest price paid for a Major League Baseball team.
The Dodgers Under Walter
Critics scoffed at the purchase price, but Walter and Boehly then negotiated a record $8.35-billion local television deal with Time Warner Cable. Sportico this year valued the Dodgers at $7.73 billion and estimated that they generated $1 billion in revenue last year, highlighted by the global economic boost they gained from signing Shohei Ohtani to a record $700-million contract.
Dodgers owner Mark Walter helps Shohei Ohtani put on his new jersey during an introductory news conference.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Future of the Lakers
The beloved O’Malley family sold the Dodgers before the turn of the century, saying the economics of professional sports had exploded beyond the means of families with no other significant source of income. Under Walter, the Dodgers have not only raised their payroll to record levels but invested heavily in areas that they believe help deliver a winner, from a vaunted analytics department to dietitians for their major and minor league players and expanded clubhouses with the latest in hydrotherapy. The owners also have invested more than $500 million into renovating Dodger Stadium, adding modern amenities to a 63-year-old ballpark.
Critical Moment for the Lakers
The Lakers are entering a critical moment in the franchise’s history. James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, has a $53-million player option that he needs to either accept or decline by June 29. If he declines, he’d be an unrestricted free agent. The team also is trying to sign Luka Doncic, whom it acquired in a shocking trade last February, to a massive contract extension functionally making him the future face of the franchise. He’s eligible to sign an extension on Aug. 2.
Conclusion
The sale of the Lakers to Mark Walter and TWG Global marks a significant shift in the ownership of one of the NBA’s most iconic franchises. With Walter’s proven track record of success with the Dodgers, Lakers fans can be optimistic about the future of their team.
FAQs
- Who is buying the Lakers?
The Lakers are being sold to Dodgers controlling owner Mark Walter and TWG Global. - What is the valuation of the Lakers in this deal?
The Lakers’ valuation in this deal is about $10 billion, a record for a professional sports franchise. - Will Jeanie Buss remain involved with the Lakers?
Yes, Jeanie Buss will remain the governor of the Lakers, representing TWG in league meetings. - What are the implications of this sale for the Lakers’ future?
The sale marks the end of family-run control of the Lakers and could lead to significant changes in the team’s operations and leadership. - How does this sale compare to other recent sales of sports franchises?
The sale of the Lakers is one of several recent high-profile sales of sports franchises, including the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, and Milwaukee Bucks.
