The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly being sold for $12.5 billion, setting another extraordinary benchmark for professional sports franchise values.
The proposed deal, involving an ownership group led by Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger, would value the Lakers at $12.5 billion and make it the largest sports franchise transaction in U.S. history.
The figure is particularly remarkable because the Lakers were valued at approximately $10 billion when Mark Walter acquired a majority stake in 2025.
But how does the Lakers’ $12.5 billion price compare with other major sports franchise sales?
Here is a look at some of the biggest team transactions in American sports history.
Most Expensive Sports Team Sales in U.S. History
Recent years have produced a dramatic increase in the prices investors are willing to pay for major professional sports franchises.
| Team | League | Year | Reported Transaction Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | NBA | 2026 | $12.5 billion |
| Los Angeles Lakers | NBA | 2025 | Approx. $10 billion valuation |
| Boston Celtics | NBA | 2025 | $6.1 billion |
| Washington Commanders | NFL | 2023 | $6.05 billion |
| Denver Broncos | NFL | 2022 | $4.65 billion |
| Phoenix Suns/Phoenix Mercury | NBA/WNBA | 2023 | $4 billion |
| Brooklyn Nets/Barclays Center | NBA | 2019 | Approx. $3.3 billion combined |
| Houston Rockets | NBA | 2017 | $2.2 billion |
| Los Angeles Clippers | NBA | 2014 | $2 billion |
The Lakers now stand well above the other blockbuster transactions that have reshaped the sports ownership landscape over the past decade.
Lakers Reportedly Sold for $12.5 Billion
The Lakers’ latest transaction reportedly values the franchise at $12.5 billion, approximately $2.5 billion higher than the valuation attached to Mark Walter’s acquisition of a majority stake in 2025.
The proposed sale has not yet been finalized and would require approval from the NBA Board of Governors.
The reported buyers are an investment group led by Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger.
The enormous price reflects the Lakers’ position as one of the most recognizable sports brands in the world.
With 17 NBA championships, generations of superstar players and a massive international following, the Lakers possess a combination of history, market size and global brand recognition that few professional sports organizations can match.
Lakers Were Already Valued at $10 Billion in 2025
The Lakers had already shattered sports franchise records just one year earlier.
In 2025, Mark Walter completed his acquisition of a majority stake in the Lakers after the franchise was valued at approximately $10 billion in the transaction with the Buss family.
Walter had already been a Lakers minority investor before increasing his ownership position.
That deal represented a massive jump from previous NBA franchise sales and demonstrated how quickly the value of elite sports organizations had increased.
The new $12.5 billion transaction would represent another 25% increase in the Lakers’ implied value in roughly one year.
Boston Celtics Sold for $6.1 Billion
Before the Lakers’ recent transactions, the Boston Celtics had briefly established the record for the most expensive sale of an American professional sports franchise.
A group led by William Chisholm agreed to purchase the Celtics in 2025 in a deal initially valued at approximately $6.1 billion.
The transaction structure could eventually place the overall value of the transfer even higher as complete control changes hands.
Boston’s sale demonstrated the enormous demand for marquee NBA franchises, particularly teams with historic brands, large fan bases and significant media opportunities.
However, the Lakers’ subsequent valuations quickly pushed the record substantially higher.
Washington Commanders Sold for $6.05 Billion
The Washington Commanders established an NFL record when a group led by Josh Harris purchased the franchise from Daniel Snyder for $6.05 billion in 2023.
At the time, the transaction was the largest price ever paid for a North American professional sports franchise.
The Commanders’ sale illustrated the extraordinary financial power of NFL ownership.
Just a few years later, however, the $6.05 billion figure is less than half of the Lakers’ reported $12.5 billion valuation.
Denver Broncos Sold for $4.65 Billion
The Denver Broncos were sold to the Walton-Penner ownership group for approximately $4.65 billion in 2022.
That transaction established an NFL record at the time.
The Broncos deal was considered enormous when it occurred, but the rapid escalation of franchise prices since then shows just how dramatically the sports ownership market has changed.
The Commanders surpassed Denver’s record the following year before NBA transactions moved the overall U.S. record significantly higher.
Phoenix Suns Sold for $4 Billion
Mat Ishbia’s purchase of the Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury was valued at approximately $4 billion in 2023.
At the time, it represented a record price for an NBA franchise.
The transaction also provided another indication that NBA franchise valuations were entering a new financial era.
Only a few years later, the Lakers’ reported $12.5 billion valuation is more than three times the amount associated with the Suns and Mercury transaction.
Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center Deal
Alibaba co-founder Joseph Tsai completed his acquisition of the Brooklyn Nets in 2019 while also acquiring the team’s home arena, Barclays Center.
The combined transactions were reportedly worth approximately $3.3 billion, including roughly $2.35 billion for the Nets.
At the time, the Nets purchase represented one of the largest franchise transactions in NBA history.
It now looks relatively modest compared with the valuations attached to the Celtics and Lakers.
Houston Rockets Sold for $2.2 Billion
Tilman Fertitta purchased the Houston Rockets for approximately $2.2 billion in 2017.
The price represented an NBA record at the time.
The Rockets transaction is another example of how quickly NBA franchise prices have accelerated.
A $2 billion NBA sale was considered groundbreaking less than a decade ago. The Lakers are now reportedly changing hands at a valuation more than five times that amount.
Los Angeles Clippers Sold for $2 Billion
Steve Ballmer’s acquisition of the Los Angeles Clippers for $2 billion in 2014 was considered an astonishing price when the deal was announced.
At the time, very few professional sports franchises had approached that valuation.
The transaction ultimately proved to be an early indication of where NBA franchise values were heading.
The Clippers’ $2 billion price is now only a fraction of what investors are paying for elite NBA organizations.
Why Are Sports Teams Becoming So Valuable?
Several factors have contributed to the rapid increase in professional sports franchise valuations.
Media rights remain one of the biggest drivers.
Professional leagues can generate billions of dollars through television and streaming agreements, providing franchise owners with increasingly valuable long-term revenue streams.
Scarcity is another major factor.
There are only 30 NBA teams and 32 NFL teams, and marquee franchises rarely become available for purchase. Billionaires interested in owning a major professional sports organization therefore have very limited opportunities.
Teams also generate revenue through sponsorships, premium seating, merchandise, international marketing, arena development and increasingly sophisticated digital media businesses.
Global brands such as the Lakers have an additional advantage because their fan bases extend far beyond their local markets.
Which Sports Team Could Sell for More Than $10 Billion Next?
The Lakers may not remain alone in the $10 billion range forever.
Several franchises have the combination of market size, global recognition and revenue potential necessary to potentially command enormous prices if they were ever placed on the market.
The Dallas Cowboys would immediately attract attention because of their enormous brand and commercial operation.
The New York Yankees could also potentially command a historic price because of their worldwide recognition and position within Major League Baseball.
The New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors and several marquee NFL organizations could potentially generate similarly enormous valuations under the right circumstances.
However, estimated franchise valuations should not be confused with actual sale prices. A team’s true market value is ultimately established when ownership is willing to sell and buyers compete to acquire it.
Lakers Sale Shows How Quickly Sports Franchise Values Are Rising
Perhaps the most striking part of the Lakers’ reported $12.5 billion transaction is how quickly sports franchise records are being broken.
The progression illustrates the dramatic increase:
Clippers — $2 billion in 2014
Rockets — $2.2 billion in 2017
Broncos — $4.65 billion in 2022
Commanders — $6.05 billion in 2023
Celtics — $6.1 billion in 2025
Lakers — approximately $10 billion valuation in 2025
Lakers — $12.5 billion reported valuation in 2026
In roughly a decade, the benchmark for a record-setting U.S. sports franchise transaction has gone from approximately $2 billion to more than $12 billion.
If the Lakers’ latest transaction receives NBA approval at the reported $12.5 billion valuation, it will establish another extraordinary record — and raise the question of which major sports franchise will be the first to surpass it.