For 8.7 billion euros
Record sale perfect: sports team has a new owner
October 30, 2025 – 9:27 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The Los Angeles Lakers have been owned by the Buss family for more than 45 years. That’s changing now. The new owner pays a record sum.
A billion-dollar change of ownership is causing a stir in the basketball world: the Los Angeles Lakers have a new owner. The 17-time NBA champion passes from the Buss Family Trust to Mark Walter. As the professional basketball league in North America announced on Thursday, the Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale of the traditional franchise.
The deal is said to be worth around ten billion US dollars – the equivalent of around 8.7 billion euros. A higher sum has not been paid for a franchise in US sports or for any other club in the world.
Walte is already co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, the Los Angeles Sparks women’s basketball team and the future Formula 1 team Cadillac. Walter also previously held a minority stake in the Lakers.
“The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most legendary franchises in all of sports,” said the new owner. The club is “characterized by a history of excellence and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Few teams have such a rich heritage and global influence as the Lakers, and it is an honor to work with Jeanie Buss to maintain that excellence and set the standard for success in this new era – on and off the court.”
According to the announcement, Jeanie Buss, the current president of the Lakers, will remain in office and will continue to manage day-to-day business “for the foreseeable future.” An agreement had already been reached at the end of June. The franchise had been owned by the Buss family since 1979. Jerry Buss took over the team from Jack Kent Cooke for $67.5 million – the package also included the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.