Bob Iger was feted like a Disney Prince at D23 this past weekend, but the ex-CEO real starturn looks to be scoring an even greater stake in the L.A. Lakers today.
With longtime owners the Buss family voting to tag along with Iger and Josh Kushner’s $12.5 billion purchase last week of the NBA team from Mark Walter, the former House of Mouse boss and brother of Donald Trump’s number #1 son-in-law now own 83% of the Lakers.
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That’s a 17.8% rise over the 65% or so the duo had last week when the purchase off Dodgers shareholder Walter was made public after a frantic 72-hours of bartering.
Kushner’s Thrive Capital did not respond to Deadline’s request for comment on enlarged ownership. However, the Buss family were court side with a statement of their own Monday.
“We have decided as a family to sell the remaining Buss Family Trust shares to the Bob Iger group as part of the ongoing transaction,” the Buss’ said today to ESPN (which Iger used to lord over) after four out of the six siblings voted for the sale. “We love the Lakers, Laker fans and will continue to support Los Angeles; but it is time to use this opportunity to move on and exit gracefully while we still can.”
As viewers of HBO’s two-season Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty know, Dr. Jerry Buss bought the team (plus the L.A. Kings and the Forum itself) in 1979 and brought some Tinseltown magic (+ Magic Johnson) to the NBA. Under the Buss family, with patriarch Jerry passing away in 2013, the Lakers snagged 11 NBA Championships. Last year, the family sold control of the organization to Walter for $10 billion. Under investigation for alleged dodgy finances, Walter flipped the team to franchise seeking Iger and Kushner almost as fast as a Kobe lay-up.
Under both Walter and it seemed Iger and Kushner, Jeanie Buss remained a governor of the team.That era comes to an end now as NBA rules demand a governor has to own at least 15% of a team.
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