The Buss family has agreed to sell a majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter, the CEO and chairman of holding company TWG Global, ESPN reported on Wednesday. This marks the end of an era for one of the NBA's most influential families. Neither Walter nor the Lakers have made a statement about the reported sale.
The Buss family has agreed to sell the Los Angeles Lakers (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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The late Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers in 1979. He died in 2013, leaving the franchise to his children. His daughter, Jeanie Buss, took over as principal owner. She will stay on as governor after the sale, ESPN's Shams Charania reported.
How much did the Buss family sell the majority stake in the Lakers for?
The Buss family agreed to sell the majority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter for approximately $10 billion, ESPN reported.
Why is Jeanie Buss selling?
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The Buss family’s decision to sell their 66% stake, held since Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers in 1979 for $67.5 million, stems from multiple factors. First, the franchise’s skyrocketing valuation—up from $7 billion in early 2025, as per Forbes—presents a lucrative exit opportunity, especially as NBA team values soar with global growth and media deals.
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The Buss family’s decision to sell their 66% stake, held since Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers in 1979 for $67.5 million, stems from multiple factors. First, the franchise’s skyrocketing valuation—up from $7 billion in early 2025, as per Forbes—presents a lucrative exit opportunity, especially as NBA team values soar with global growth and media deals.
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The Lakers’ $400 million annual TV and streaming revenue, renegotiated in 2022, underscores this financial appeal. Second, internal family dynamics may play a role. After Jerry Buss’s death in 2013, Jeanie faced power struggles with siblings Jim and Johnny, consolidating control but possibly straining family unity.
How much is the sale worth?
The deal values the Lakers at $10 billion, surpassing the Boston Celtics’ $6.1 billion sale in March 2025. While exact terms remain undisclosed, the Buss family’s 66% stake suggests a payout of roughly $6.6 billion, though Walter likely purchased a portion of this, not the full $10 billion.
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.
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Home/Sports/Us Sports/Lakers sold to Mark Walter: Why Jeanie Buss is selling the iconic NBA team and for how much?
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