Biggest U.S. sports team sales: How Lakers broke own record with new price of $12.5 billion image
For the second time in two years, the NBA's most glamorous franchise is being sold.
ESPN reported Wednesday that the Los Angeles Lakers are being sold to American businessmen Josh Kushner and Bob Iger. Mark Walter, the CEO of holding company TWG Global, has been the controlling owner of the Lakers since taking over the franchise from the Buss family in 2025.
While Walter purchased his control over the Lakers last year for an 11-figure amount, the team is now surpassing its own record in U.S. sports franchise valuation history.
Here's where the Lakers' sale will rank among the largest in professional U.S. sports history.
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Lakers sale price
Per ESPN, the Lakers are being bought by Kushner and Iger for $12.5 billion.
It's a record-breaking team price once again being set by the franchise; Walter's 2025 purchase for $10 billion had already set a record, with the Lakers now valued even higher.
According to ESPN, Kushner and Iger were "involved in the expansion process in Las Vegas," but instead pivoted to make an aggressive offer to Walter to buy the Lakers.
“As lifelong NBA fans, we are deeply honored for the opportunity to become stewards of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most iconic sports franchises in the world. We have immense respect for the leadership and vision of Jerry and Jeanie Buss," Kushner and Iger said in a statement to ESPN. "Our long-term commitment is to build on that foundation, compete at the highest level, and serve this extraordinary team, its fans, and the city of Los Angeles."
Biggest U.S. sports team sales
The Lakers aren't just surpassing their own record for most expensive NBA team sale — they're passing their own record for any U.S. sports franchise.
As things stand in 2026, the Lakers remain the only professional sports franchise in the United States to go for at least $10 billion in a sale. The NFL's reigning Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, set a new league record earlier in 2026 by going for $9.612 billion, while the Boston Celtics and the NFL's Washington Commanders also rank among the largest purchase prices for a sports team ever.
Here's a look at the updated list of most expensive sales for a U.S. sports franchise, with the Lakers' $12.5 billion by far the highest:
Team(s) League(s) Year Purchasing Owner/Group Leadership Amount
Los Angeles Lakers NBA 2026 Josh Kushner, Bob Iger $12.5 billion
Los Angeles Lakers NBA 2025 Mark Walter $10 billion
Seattle Seahawks NFL 2026 Vinod Khosla $9.612 billion
Boston Celtics NBA 2025 Bill Chisholm $6.1 billion
Washington Commanders NFL 2023 Josh Harris $6.05 billion
Denver Broncos NFL 2022 Rob Walton $4.65 billion
Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury NBA, WNBA 2022 Mat Ishbia $4 billion
San Diego Padres MLB 2026 Jose E. Feliciano, Kwanza Jones $3.9 billion
Dallas Mavericks NBA 2023 Miriam Adelson, Patrick Dumont $3.5 billion
Charlotte Hornets NBA 2023 Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin $3 billion