The Los Angeles Lakers takeover is not even complete, but Josh Kushner is already looking years ahead. He still needs to sell his minority stake in the Miami Heat before the deal can move forward under NBA ownership rules. Yet the Kushner-Bob Iger group is already laying out an ambitious financial vision for the Purple and Gold franchise.
“The buyers of the Los Angeles Lakers are telling prospective investors they expect to nearly triple the basketball team’s valuation within 10 years. That is one of several aggressive financial projections included in an investor presentation being circulated by Thrive Capital, the investment firm helmed by Joshua Kushner,” according to The Wall Street Journal.
The pitch comes shortly after Kushner and Iger agreed to acquire the Lakers from Mark Walter at a reported $12.5 billion valuation. The plan centers on growing the franchise’s business well beyond its current level, with international expansion, stronger sponsorship revenue and larger media deals forming major parts of the strategy.
The investor presentation projects the Lakers generating $681 million in total revenue in 2026. Tickets and gameday revenue account for the largest portion at $245 million. Local media rights are projected to contribute $180 million, while national media rights are projected to add another $144 million. Sponsorships are expected to bring in $80 million, with league revenue accounting for $32 million.
That revenue comes against projected costs of $552 million. Player and coaching salaries represent $251 million, while business operations are expected to cost $150 million. The NBA assessment accounts for another $96 million, with team operations at $55 million. That leaves the Lakers with roughly $129 million in projected operating profit.
The ownership group also sees room to squeeze more value from the team’s existing business. The plan reportedly calls for average ticket prices to rise from $217 to $361 while reducing broker control over tickets. Recently, it was the Knicks who released tickets at higher-than-expected prices.
After fans voiced their displeasure, the NBA champions and MSG released a statement announcing a suspension of sales and called it an internal mistake. So, the Lakers’ pitch is receiving backlash.
The proposal also anticipates significant growth in international markets and assumes NBA national television rights could double in value.
If those projections hold, the Lakers could see annual revenue climb to roughly $1.6 billion by 2037, with the franchise approaching the $30 billion valuation Kushner and Iger have presented to investors.
Fans concerned over new ownership’s priorities
The Lakers’ lofty valuation target has clearly caught fans’ attention, but the reaction is not centered on the number itself. For many supporters, the bigger question is what happens on the court.
“All we care about is another championship. Load up and stack up. No excuses. Lakeshow.”
That sentiment reflects the standard Lakers fans have long held for the franchise. A bigger valuation may signal a thriving business, but supporters still measure the team by playoff runs and championships.
That became even clearer in another response that questioned how the franchise could reach such a massive valuation without sustained success on the court.
“If you ain’t winning sh*t. How does one get to this evaluation.”
The concern goes beyond banners, too. The Lakers’ business model depends heavily on the attention their games generate, and that can become harder to maintain if the team repeatedly misses the playoffs or falls out of contention.
Ticket and gameday revenue is projected to account for $245 million of the Lakers’ $681 million total revenue in 2026, making fan engagement an important part of the team’s financial outlook. One fan connected that concern directly to the owners’ long-term ambitions for the franchise.
“This might mean the lakers should build a playoff caliber team every single year. Else, they might have to lower it down since no fans are gonna come when team’s trash.”
Another fan wrote the same: “They’ll need to WIN if they expect this plan to work.”
For some supporters, though, the issue is not simply about making the playoffs every year. They want the organization to focus on the entire fan experience rather than treating valuation as the ultimate measure of success.
“As a fan I can tell you honestly, focusing on valuation is a horrible idea. Focus on titles, focus on fans experience, focus even on marketing and tv deals. Valuation has always been organic.”
Fans may have little objection to the Lakers becoming more valuable, but they do not want the business side to overshadow the basketball side.