LAKERS BUYERS PROJECT VALUATION NEARLY TRIPLING WITHIN TEN YEARS

Josh Kushner and Bob Iger's group has agreed to buy the Los Angeles Lakers from Mark Walter at a reported valuation of $12.5 billion, according to an investor presentation being circulated by Kushner's investment firm, Thrive Capital, and described in a newspaper report. The takeover has not yet been completed, as Kushner must first sell his minority stake in the Miami Heat to satisfy NBA ownership rules. The presentation reportedly tells prospective investors that the group expects the franchise's valuation to nearly triple within ten years, reaching around $30 billion. The strategy is said to rest on international expansion, stronger sponsorship revenue and larger media rights deals. For 2026, the presentation projects total Lakers revenue of $681 million.

Of that projected revenue, tickets and gameday income account for $245 million, local media rights for $180 million, national media rights for $144 million, sponsorships for $80 million and league revenue for $32 million. Projected costs total $552 million, made up of $251 million in player and coaching salaries, $150 million in business operations, $96 million in NBA assessments and $55 million in team operations. That would leave an operating profit of roughly $129 million, according to the presentation. The plan reportedly includes raising the average ticket price from $217 to $361 while reducing the role of brokers in ticket sales.

The projections follow criticism directed at the New York Knicks, who recently released tickets at higher-than-expected prices before fan complaints prompted the team and Madison Square Garden to suspend sales, describing the pricing as an internal mistake. According to the report, the Lakers' own ticket pricing plans have similarly drawn criticism. The Kushner-Iger deal cannot be finalised until Kushner divests his Miami Heat holding, in line with NBA ownership rules. No timeframe has been confirmed for completing either the Heat sale or the wider Lakers takeover.