• Loading stock data...
Friday, August 22, 2025
The biggest names in sports media. All in one room. Buy tickets now!

NBA’s $77B Rights Deal a Major Factor in $10B Lakers Stunner

Mark Walter and his partners had purchased 27% of the Lakers in a deal that valued the team at $5 billion in 2021. The valuation doubled.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The sports world got sticker shock Wednesday when ESPN reported that the Buss family sold its majority stake in the Lakers to Dodgers owner Mark Walter at a valuation of $10 billion. The Athletic later reported that the valuation could reach $12 billion.

Several factors contributed to the astronomical figure, as the Celtics just recently sold for $6.1 billion, and Walter and his partners had purchased 27% of the Lakers from AEG in a deal that valued the team at $5 billion in 2021.

How did the value of the Lakers double in just under four years? There’s a pie chart of reasons, led by the NBA’s lavish new TV deal.

$77 Billion Windfall

The NBA is starting an 11-year, $77 billion TV deal later in 2025. In a game of musical chairs where there were more bidders than spots, longtime partner TNT is out, and Amazon and NBC are in. Disney’s ESPN/ABC remains a partner, as the league is poised to triple its annual national TV revenue. 

“The new media deal super-charged the new $$,” Ringer founder Bill Simmons tweeted in the immediate aftermath of the Lakers deal.

Prime Luka

The Lakers are in the advantageous position of having a superstar in his prime. Luka Dončić, acquired from the Mavericks in a stunning trade this season, is just 26 years old. Photos of him appearing to have gotten in substantially better shape have already started to circulate on social media this season. Dončić is eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension later this offseason, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks

Magic Number

According to the Los Angeles Times, each of Dr. Jerry Buss’s six sons and daughters owned an 11% stake in the Lakers. The significance of the $10 billion sale price is that each of their stakes is worth more than $1 billion.

Business Synergies

There are strategic benefits to owning multiple sports franchises in the same region. With Walter and his partners owning the Lakers and the Dodgers, they can find efficiencies in departments like sales and marketing. For example, they can carve out bundles for sponsorships that reach both teams and are relevant for a vast majority of the calendar year. Local TV rights can also be bundled down the road. 

Inflation

As the federal government printed trillions of dollars in an attempt to stave off the economic effects of COVID-19, $1 in 2025 is not quite worth the same as it was in 2021. The U.S. government’s CPI calculator claims that $5 billion in 2021 would be $5.92 billion today. That would be an 18% increase, but many Americans look at their expenses and think that number is low.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Aug 5, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) looks to drive past New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud (9) in the third quarter at Barclays Center.

Man Arrested for Throwing Dildo at Liberty Game

After police released his photo, the man turned himself in.
Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore

Timberwolves Lay Off Dozens After A-Rod, Lore Take Over

Rodriguez and Lore took over the Wolves and Lynx in June.

Featured Today

Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants running back Eric Gray (20) returns a kickoff against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half at MetLife Stadium.

‘Fauxbacks’ Throw Back to a Retro Uniform That Never Existed

Many throwback jerseys are brand-new designs or “Franken-Unis.”
August 17, 2025

‘Labubu Gang’: The Creepy-Cute Dolls Sweeping Pro Sports

The creepy-cute doll is the hottest collectible—and fashion statement.
Middle Tennessee wide receiver Cam'ron Lacy (86) catches a pass and carries the ball during the season final home football game against New Mexico State on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.
August 15, 2025

How Middle Tennessee State Added $668,000 to Its NIL Budget

The Blue Raiders are creating a new blueprint for cutting costs.
Bridgewater American 12U Little League player Micah Poulter holds a District 7 pin during a send-off rally to the New England regional tournament in Bristol, Connecticut, from Legion Field on Friday, August 2, 2024.
August 14, 2025

Inside the Little League World Series Pin Trade

The rare little collectibles fuel a frenzy in Williamsport each summer.
Jul 13, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announces the pick for the Athletics pick during the MLB Draft at The Coca-Cola Roxy.

MLB Confident New Rights Will Exceed $550M ESPN Deal

MLB would redistribute rights forfeited by ESPN back in February.
August 21, 2025

Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica on Fox Changes, New Studio, Working With Portnoy

Fallica is in his third year as Fox’s sports betting expert.
August 21, 2025

NBC’s MLB Chase Built on Vision for Yearlong Sunday Night Sports

NBC Sports is gunning for a Sunday night slate rivaling “The Sopranos.”
Sponsored

Building A Pro League From Scratch

Front Office Sports and Gainbridge® spotlight what it takes to build a professional women’s soccer league.
August 20, 2025

Rich Eisen Will Host More ‘SportsCenters’ After Standout Return

Eisen’s nostalgia-oriented Monday “SportsCenter” drew rave reviews.
August 19, 2025

MLB Nears Media Shake-Up: ESPN, NBC, Netflix In, Apple Out?

Sources told FOS that local rights are of particular interest to ESPN.
exclusive
August 19, 2025

Chase Daniel Joins ESPN As College Football Analyst

Daniel had a 13-year NFL career and was most recently an FS1 host.
exclusive
August 19, 2025

Former ESPN NBA Reporter Nick Friedell to Join The Athletic Warriors Beat

The Athletic and ESPN essentially traded writers focused on the Warriors.