Magic Johnson Reacts to Lakers Owner Mark Walter’s Prestigious Snub

The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers set the bar really high this year. A $6.1 billion and a $10 billion sale, respectively, doesn’t seem like a matter of joke! It simply shows that the team values have skyrocketed over the years. The sports world and its empires are thriving. In word of mouth, lists, and more, you’ll find their names etched in gold. But not Mark Walter’s, and that seems to be upsetting for Magic Johnson.

Sports bankers and executives told CNBC that empires work like sleek software firms, guarding prized intellectual property while squeezing out bigger profits through central control. Costs for back-office jobs such as HR and accounting hardly climb as new arenas or teams join the fold, fueling scale. Yet, each empire bends differently, buying distinct teams, businesses, and territories.

Heading the chart is the Denver Nuggets’ owners, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. Followed by the Jones Family and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. The Fenway Sports Group and Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. followed them. And yes, Mark Walter’s Guggenheim Partners name seems to be nowhere. Thus, taking to his X handle, Magic Johnson put out a word for his business partners. He tweeted: “My business partner Mark Walter, owner of the Dodgers, Lakers, and Sparks, should definitely be on this list!”

Now, CNBC’s valuations stagger a combined worth of $225 billion, turning the business of games into a kingdom of gold. Here’s the value of the names on the list.

Meanwhile, Stanley Kroenke’s sports kingdom leads the world at $21.2 billion, stretching from the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams to Arsenal in the Premier League, with the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche in between. Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment comes in third at $14.6 billion with the Commanders, 76ers, Devils, and stakes in Crystal Palace and Joe Gibbs Racing. Fenway Sports Group follows at $14.2 billion, with the Red Sox, Penguins, Liverpool FC, NESN, RFK Racing, and PGA Tour Enterprises.

Monumental Sports & Entertainment sits at $7.8 billion, running the Wizards, Capitals, Mystics, and its own network. AEG Worldwide, worth $12 billion, wields the Kings, LA Galaxy, global arenas from London’s O2 to Paris’ AccorHotels, plus ticketing giant AXS. City Football Group is valued at $7.7 billion with Manchester City, New York City FC, and clubs across five continents. Meanwhile, Mark Walter is set for a $10 billion Lakers takeover, while Woody Johnson eyes Crystal Palace with a 43% stake buy.

However, Magic Johnson’s business partners and the Los Angeles Lakers’ owner don’t seem to be on the list. Therefore, let’s see what the Guggenheim Partners’ estimated valuation is.

Magic Johnson’s Dodgers owner, Mark Walter’s estimated valuation

The Dodgers deal in 2012 came at $2.15 billion, with Guggenheim-linked entities pumping in $1.213 billion and insurance affiliates adding at least $300 million. In 2021, Walter and Todd Boehly acquired 27 percent of the Lakers at a $5 billion valuation. By 2025, Walter will gain majority control at a $10 billion valuation with TWG Global. Therefore, these moves proved Guggenheim’s muscle in executing billion-dollar transactions with ease.

Beyond that, Walter’s reach stretches wide. He holds one-sixth of the Sparks and invested in motorsports with Andretti Global, Cadillac F1, Spire Motorsports, WAU, and Wayne Taylor Racing. His 12.7 percent of BlueCo, tied to Chelsea at $5.3 billion and Strasbourg, implies over $600 million invested. He poured hundreds of millions into the Professional Women’s Hockey League and backs squash tournaments. Altogether, Walter’s Guggenheim-linked sports empire tops $15 billion, while Guggenheim Partners commands $300–400 billion in global assets.

The game of sports empires is bigger than trophies and headlines. While some names dominate lists and conversations, Magic Johnson shines a spotlight on his business partner, Mark Walter, whose kingdom spans baseball, basketball, motorsports, soccer, and women’s hockey. From courts to tracks and ice rinks, Walter’s reach bends every corner of the sports world. Scale, strategy, and bold moves define his playground.