Biggest deals for global sports teams
Jeanie Buss, President of the Los Angeles Lakers and executive producer, displays the 2020 NBA Championship Ring as she attends a premiere of the television series \"Running Point\" in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
The Buss family agreed in principle on Friday to sell the Los Angeles Lakers, who have won 17 National Basketball Association championships, to financier Mark Walter in a world record deal that values the franchise at $10 billion.
Walter is chief executive officer of Guggenheim Partners, a global financial services firm with more than $325 billion in assets.
He led the group that bought the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012, according to The Athletic, and currently holds the controlling share in the baseball franchise.
Here are the biggest purchases of global sports teams in history:
1. Los Angeles Lakers (NBA): Majority stake sold to MarkWalter, valuing franchise at about $10 billion (June 2025) 2. Boston Celtics (NBA): Sold to private equity investorBill Chisholm for $6.1 billion (March 2025) 3. Washington Commanders (NFL): Sold to a group led by JoshHarris for $6.05 billion. Harris is co-founder of private equityfirm Apollo Global Management (July 2023) 4. Chelsea Football Club (Premier League - UK): Sold to aninvestment group led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital for$5.3 billion (May 2022) 5. Denver Broncos (NFL): Sold to Walmart heir Rob Walton for$4.65 billion (August 2022) 6. Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury (NBA, WNBA): Sold tobillionaire mortgage lender Matt Ishbia (December 2022) 7. Milwaukee Bucks (NBA): Sold to Cleveland Browns ownerJimmy and Dee Haslam for $3.5 billion (April 2023) 8. Brooklyn Nets (NBA): Sold to Chinese billionaire Joe Tsaifor $3.3 billion (September 2019) 9. New York Mets (MLB): Sold to investor Steve Cohen for$2.4 billion (November 2020) 10. Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA): Sold to investor group ledby Mark Lore and Alex Rodriguez for $1.5 billion (April 2025) REUTERS
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