Kushner-Iger Group Buys Lakers for Record $12.5 Billion, Giving Walter $2.5 Billion Gain
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 1
Kushner-Iger Group Buys Lakers for Record $12.5 Billion, Giving Walter $2.5 Billion Gain
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 1
Summary
$12.5 billion is the agreed price for a Joshua Kushner- and Bob Iger-led group to buy the Los Angeles Lakers, setting a new North American sports franchise record.
Mark Walter, who bought control from the Buss family for $10 billion in June 2025, stands to make $2.5 billion in about 14 months once the sale closes.
The deal resets a mark the Lakers themselves set just over a year ago and tops other recent blockbuster sales, including the Seattle Seahawks at $9.612 billion and the Boston Celtics at $6.1 billion.
Kushner and Iger had reportedly explored bringing an NBA expansion team to Las Vegas before pivoting to the Lakers, underscoring how scarce marquee franchise opportunities have become.
With a record $4 billion price tag, is Kroenke buying a baseball team or just expanding his Southern California real estate empire?
How will this historic franchise sale reshape Anaheim's future after years of stadium corruption scandals and stalled civic developments?
Can a new billionaire owner finally break the decade-long dysfunction that wasted the prime years of baseball's biggest stars?
$12.5 Billion for the Lakers: How Federal Probes, Private Equity, and Media Rights Redefined Sports Ownership
Overview
The record $12.5 billion sale of the Los Angeles Lakers to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger in September 2026 was triggered by a chain of financial and regulatory events. Federal investigations into Mark Walter’s insurance companies led to a massive restatement of Delaware Life’s books, revealing billions in related-party loans. Facing a liquidity crunch and regulatory deadlines, Walter was forced to quickly liquidate assets, including the Lakers. Meanwhile, Kushner and Iger, originally focused on a Las Vegas NBA expansion, pivoted to seize the rare opportunity to acquire the Lakers. The deal was enabled by relaxed NBA ownership rules, private equity funding, and the league’s lucrative media contracts, reflecting the new era of institutional sports ownership.