Lakers Sold for Record-Breaking $10 Billion to Mark Walter
Synopsis
The Los Angeles Lakers basketball franchise has just been sold for approximately $10 billion. This is the largest American sports team sale in history. The Buss family has owned the Lakers since 1979 and…
The Los Angeles Lakers basketball franchise has just been sold for approximately $10 billion. This is the largest American sports team sale in history. The Buss family has owned the Lakers since 1979 and is now selling a majority of their stake to billionaire Mark Walter.
Walter Also Owns the Dodgers
Mark Walter operates a firm named TWG Global. He already owns the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball club. The Dodgers clinched the World Series last year. Walter also invested in the Chelsea soccer club and a Formula 1 racing team that begins in 2026.
Walter is not new to the Lakers. He acquired 20% of the team back in 2021. Now he's purchasing the largest amount from the Buss family. Jeanie Buss will still manage the team on a day-to-day basis even after the sale. A spokesperson for Walter's company indicated, yes, the deal is indeed happening. They said Walter is acquiring more of the Lakers because he already had some of it from 2021.
A Whole Lot More Money Than Any Other Team's Sales
This $10 billion is way more money than any other sports team sale. Earlier in the year, the Boston Celtics were sold for $6.1 billion. Before them, the Washington Commanders football team was sold for $6.05 billion in 2023. Those two were record sales until then.
Lakers' sale is $4 billion greater than those transactions. That indicates how much the Lakers are worth today. In 1979, Jerry Buss originally purchased the Lakers for only $67.5 million. That purchase also came with the Kings' hockey team and an arena.
The
The Buss Family Built a Winning Team
Jerry Buss passed away in 2013. The six children inherited the team under a trust. They held an ownership of 66% of the Lakers. All but one of the six children had to sign to sell the team.
The Lakers performed wonderfully under the Buss family. They won more championships than any other NBA franchise. They appeared in the NBA Finals 17 times and came out with 11 championships while in the hands of the Buss family.
Magic Johnson once played for the Lakers and even owned a stake in the team. He posted online that the fans ought to be thrilled that Walter has bought the team. Walter knows how to construct champion teams since he did it with the Dodgers, Johnson stated. The Lakers presently have LeBron James as their franchise player. They reached the playoffs three years consecutively but have not won a championship in a while.
Stay informed. Stay inspired. Subscribe to Inspirepreneur Magazine’s Newsletter for the latest developments on global conflicts, leadership insights, and strategic innovations shaping tomorrow’s world.
At Inspirepreneurs Magazine, covering entrepreneurship, business failures, and the human stories behind the world's most ambitious founders. She writes at the intersection of strategy and storytelling.
You Might Also Like
How Crypto Is Creating a New Generation of Entrepreneurs in Australia: What’s Changing in 2026
NSW Beaches Shut After 4 Shark Attacks in Two Days
