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The deal sets an all-time record for the value of a sports club, significantly surpassing the previous record, according to 1075thefan.com.
Rapid Resale and Record-Breaking Valuation
The sale comes less than a year after control of the Lakers passed to billionaire Mark Walter (CEO of TWG Global and owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team). In the fall of 2025, Walter purchased a controlling stake from the Buss family at a club valuation of $10 billion. In just 10 months, the franchise’s value increased by a quarter, and Walter himself called the swift deal an “outstanding investment.”
The investors’ change of course came as a surprise to the sports market: previously, Kushner and Eiger had been exploring the option of creating a new NBA franchise “from scratch” in Las Vegas. However, they preferred to immediately gain control of a global brand rather than wait for the league’s multi-year expansion process.
“As longtime NBA fans, we are deeply honored by the opportunity to become the stewards of the Los Angeles Lakers. Our long-term goal is to compete at the highest level and serve the team, its fans, and the city,” reads a joint statement from Kushner and Aiger.
Who Is Behind the Record-Breaking Purchase
Josh Kushner (41) is the founder and managing partner of the venture capital firm Thrive Capital, which has more than $50 billion in assets under management. He was an early investor in Instagram, Spotify, Stripe, and OpenAI.
Bob Iger (75) is a legendary media executive who led the Disney Corporation until early 2026. Under his leadership, Disney carried out landmark acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox.
The purchase was carried out in part through a special vehicle, Thrive Eternal, created to invest in iconic institutional and cultural brands.
The “Kushner-Eiger” deal definitively cements U.S. sports franchises as a distinct class of ultra-liquid and rapidly appreciating assets for billionaires and investment funds.
The $12.5 billion price tag makes the Lakers the most valuable team on the planet, surpassing not only their NBA counterparts (the Golden State Warriors were valued by Forbes at $11 billion) but also major NFL teams. Finalization of the deal will require the customary approval of the NBA Board of Governors.
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