Kushner, Iger Sports Holdings Grow

Morning Edition

August 13, 2026

POWERED BY

Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner are set to purchase the Lakers with current owner Mark Walter selling his majority stake. From an NWSL team to a stake in a Premier League club, the three men control a sprawling collection of sports investments.

—Ava Hult

First Up

The White House said it has no involvement in the sale of the Lakers to Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
The NBA released more key dates in the 2026–27 season—including a new-look NBA Cup—which will form part of a jam-packed sports calendar this fall.
The NFL is getting panned on social media for putting out a new podcast episode on the feed where Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks previously hosted Move the Sticks.
Golf has gotten younger, styles have gotten louder, and a particular type of hat has taken over the course—to the chagrin of many traditionalists.

Iger, Kushner, Walter Have Sports Empires Beyond the Lakers

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Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner are slated to add the Lakers to sports portfolios that already stretch across multiple leagues and franchises.

The pair’s $12.5 billion deal with Mark Walter—after the billionaire Guggenheim CEO bought the team in 2025 at a $10 billion valuation—would give both a stake in one of the NBA’s marquee teams while also forcing Kushner to sell off his existing investment in the Miami Heat. Walter, meanwhile, would still retain a sprawling collection of sports investments even after selling his majority stake in the Lakers.

Here’s where each of their sports investments stands as the Lakers deal moves forward.

Bob Iger

Iger, 75, is the former CEO of Disney, where he led the company for nearly two decades before stepping down in March 2026. Iger has close ties to Kushner’s Thrive Capital, where he first joined as a venture partner in 2022, later made a personal investment in the firm, and then joined as an adviser once leaving his role at Disney. He has also frequently been seen courtside at Lakers games.

Angel City FC: Iger and his wife, Willow Bay, agreed to acquire the controlling stake in the NWSL team in 2024 at a $250 million valuation. Bay serves as Angel City’s controlling owner and represents the team on the NWSL’s board of governors.
NBA expansion: Iger and Kushner had previously been linked to a possible ownership group for an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas, which includes several other potential investor groups.

Joshua Kushner

Kushner, 41, is the founder of venture capital firm Thrive Capital, which he launched in 2009. He is also the younger brother of Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and a former White House adviser.

Miami Heat: Kushner became a minority owner of the Heat in late 2024. In buying the Lakers, Kushner will be forced to sell that stake as NBA rules prohibit an owner from controlling or managing more than one franchise.
Memphis Grizzlies: Before investing in Miami, Kushner owned a minority stake in the Grizzlies, meaning the Lakers would become the third NBA franchise that he has held an ownership stake in. He sold the stake in May 2025.
San Francisco Giants: Thrive Eternal, which falls under the umbrella of Kushner’s venture capital firm Thrive Capital, was founded in April when it acquired a stake in the Giants.

Mark Walter

Walter, 66, helped found investment firm Guggenheim Partners in 1999 and remains its CEO. He later cofounded TWG Global in 2024, a holding company whose investments span technology, media, and sports. Forbes estimates Walter’s net worth at $7.3 billion. Federal authorities are reportedly investigating him for fraud in connection with his insurance businesses.

Los Angeles Lakers: Walter bought the Lakers in October 2025 and is now selling his majority stake to Iger and Kushner.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Walter is a co-owner and chairman of the Dodgers. He acquired the team in 2012 as part of Guggenheim Baseball Management alongside his longtime business partner Todd Boehly.
Los Angeles Sparks: Walter acquired the Sparks in 2014 as part of an investment group led by him and Magic Johnson.
Professional Women’s Hockey League: Walter founded the league in 2023 after partnering with the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association and purchasing the rival Premier Hockey Federation.
Motorsports: Walter owns stakes in Andretti Global and the Cadillac Formula One team through TWG Motorsports, part of Walter’s TWG Global.
Soccer: Walter owns 12.7% of BlueCo, the holding company that purchased Premier League club Chelsea in 2022 and Ligue 1 club RC Strasbourg Alsace in 2023.

Tune In to FedEx St. Jude Championship

The PGA TOUR postseason begins this week at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, as the top 70 players take the next step in their pursuit of the season-long title.

With only the top 50 advancing to next week’s BMW Championship, every shot carries added significance as the biggest stars battle to keep their seasons alive and earn spots in next year’s biggest events.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy headline a star-studded field, while reigning FedExCup champion Tommy Fleetwood and defending FedEx St. Jude Championship winner Justin Rose look to add to their playoff résumés.

Tune in all week across ESPN, Golf Channel, CBS, and the ESPN app to watch the drama unfold and see who emerges victorious at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

ONE BIG FIG

Watch Party

Aug 9, 2026; Greensboro, North Carolina, USA; Michael Brennan and his caddie Ollie Brett on 15 green during the final round of the Wyndham Championship golf tournament.

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

2.6 million

That’s the number of viewers CBS averaged for the final round of the Wyndham Championship on Sunday, which was up 33% over last year. The tournament was the PGA Tour’s regular-season finale, with 24-year-old Michael Brennan winning $1.53 million for his second victory since joining the PGA Tour last fall. The Wyndham Championship, the PGA Tour’s annual stop in Greensboro, North Carolina, is being renamed the GO by Raymond James next year as part of a title sponsorship switch and in 2028 is being elevated to the new top-tier PGA Tour Championship Series.

Meanwhile, the final round of LIV Golf New York at Trump Bedminster averaged 453,000 viewers on Fox, which was up 8% over last year’s LIV Golf Chicago event, which was played on the same weekend in August.

DAILY SPORTS TRIVIA

Can you rank the top five golfers with the most major prize money in 2026?

LOUD AND CLEAR

Surprise Sale

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“Why would you sell a team within a year, and especially without an auction?”

—One former NBA governor told Front Office Sports, responding to the surprising news Wednesday that Mark Walter had sold the Lakers—less than a year after buying a controlling stake in the franchise—to former Disney CEO Bob Iger and venture capital executive Josh Kushner at a $12.5 billion valuation. “Especially a premier asset like the Lakers,” the former owner added.

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