The majority share of the basketball concession in Los Angeles Lakers is sold in what will represent the most expensive sale of an American sports team in history, according to a source familiar with the deal.
The source said that the Buss family has the team – one of the most famous sports in the world – since 1979 and has now concluded the CEO of Twg Global Mark Walter.
The sale is said to be worth an estimated 10 billion dollars (7.45 billion pounds) – although it may increase as soon as it is completed.
Mr. Walter also has a controlling stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers team, the professional American baseball team that won the world series last year.
BBC called Lakers to comment.
A spokesman for the Mr. Walter company confirmed that the billionaire was funded in the midst of a deal with Lakers.
“Mark Walter is entering into an agreement to gain additional interests in Los Angeles Lakers in the American Professional League, which has been the owner of an interest since 2021,” the spokesman said.
In 2021, Mr. Walter became the team's participant with a 20 % stake. He has investments with various sports teams in the world, including Chelsea Football Club and Cadillac Formula 1, which is scheduled to enter the race in 2026.
The deal comes after selling March to Boston's basketball team to Bill Chicholm for $ 6.1 billion – which was called at that time the sale of an American sports franchise. The sale of the American football team in Washington in 2023 exceeded 6.05 billion dollars.
The American media reported on Wednesday that the evaluation of the national basketball team is at least $ 10 billion. Selling will exceed standard deals by about $ 4 billion.
Jerry Buss bought the team in a $ 67.5 million deal in 1979, which included the Hockey Los Angeles Kings and Los Angeles Square, known as the Kia Forum.
Since that time, the Lakers team won the title of more than any other team in the American Professional League. They appeared in the American Professional League finals 17 times under the ownership of the Buss family and won 11 times.
The team – led by the star Liberation James currently arrived at the qualifiers in the last three seasons but was eliminated.
After the death of Mr. Buss in 2013, the monarchy was transferred to his six children confidently. The family has a 66 % stake in the concession.
Jenny Boses has worked as a Lakers ruler since that time – a position that she will keep under the terms of sale to Mr. Walter.
The Los Angeles Times reported that confidence required the majority of the six children to agree on any sale of the team.
Lakers, the legend of Magic Johnson, who had previously had a stake in the team, said that the fans should be active about selling and that Mr. Walter will continue to the legacy of the team – noting that his ownership of the batons led to a victory in the World Championship.
Mr. Johnson said on X.
“I have seen him to build a winning team with the evaders and know that Mark will do by the Lakers team, the organization and the fans!” He said in another post. “Both are very smart, visions, and great leaders, and they have positively influenced the Greater Los Angeles community!”
