The longtime owners of the Los Angeles Lakers — the Buss family — have agreed to sell the controlling stake of the franchise in a deal that values the franchise at $10 billion, ESPN's Shams Charania first reported.
Why it matters: This would be the most ever paid for a pro sports team, topping the recent Boston Celtics sale agreement, Axios Pro Rata author Dan Primack notes.
Between the lines: The number probably could have been even higher had the Buss family launched a full-fledged sale process.
Instead, the Buss family is said to have negotiated exclusively with Mark Walter, who bought a minority stake in 2021 in a deal that included a right of first refusal on any control sale.
Walter is the CEO of TWG Global, which also owns the controlling interest in the Los Angeles Dodgers and Premier League club Chelsea.