Historic $12 Billion Acquisition: Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger Score Los Angeles Lakers

Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger are purchasing the Los Angeles Lakers in a landmark $12 billion deal. This record-breaking transaction follows Mark Walter's previous majority stake purchase, which valued the team at $10 billion. Kushner recently made headlines due to his involvement in a contentious FIFA equity plan.

In a monumental sports business transaction, Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger are acquiring the Los Angeles Lakers for an unprecedented $12 billion. This acquisition sets a new record in the valuation of an NBA team, according to sources cited by ESPN.

The deal follows billionaire Mark Walter's purchase of a majority stake in the Lakers last year, which valued the team at $10 billion, a shift approved by the board of governors in October. ESPN's report highlights the magnitude of this move in the sports sector, though the Lakers have yet to respond to requests for comment.

The acquisition surfaces amid Kushner's prominence in a controversial proposed deal with FIFA, where his firm Thrive Capital was to hold significant stakes in a World Cup subsidiary, a move that attracted significant pushback and created tumult within soccer's global governance. Meanwhile, Iger's venture into sports investments is not new, as the former Disney CEO had earlier acquired a major interest in the NWSL's Angel City FC.