Iger, Kushner Buy Lakers at $12.5 Billion as Walter Sells Amid Federal Probe

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 17

$12.5 billion is the valuation at which Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner bought Mark Walter’s controlling Lakers stake, 14 months after Walter acquired majority ownership at about $10 billion.
Walter sold amid a liquidity crunch tied to a federal investigation into his insurance businesses, turning over one of sports’ most coveted franchises far sooner than expected.
Five days later, a majority of the Buss children agreed to sell their remaining 17.8% stake at the same valuation, but governor Jeanie Buss said her siblings lack authority to approve that sale.
The dispute could trigger a legal fight over the family’s residual ownership as franchise prices keep climbing across U.S. sports, with the Cowboys valued at $15.5 billion and several NBA and NFL teams above $10 billion.
Advisers and dealmakers say scarce supply, swelling media-rights revenue and looser private-equity rules are drawing ever-richer buyers into team ownership despite concerns about shorter-term, profit-first investors.

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Yahoo Sports3d ago

Bob Iger, Joshua Kushner Acquire Lakers Stakes from Mark Walter, Buss Family

Forbes3d ago

Josh Kushner, Bob Iger Will Buy Lakers Stake From Buss Family

NBC News2d ago

Buss family votes to sell its final Lakers stake to Iger, Kushner

12 Sources

How did a $16 million Lakers purchase become a $12.5 billion franchise, and what does that reveal about sports as an investment asset?

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