“I’m going to get more involved… I think I have to get more involved, and I’ll do that, that’s a commitment to the fans, that I will get more involved and be part of it more to help bring the Sparks back to a championship level.” Oh boy. You’re reading Magic Johnson’s words after the LA Sparks finished the 2024 season with a league-worst 8-32 record. ‘Change’ was clearly needed, and over the past year or so, you could surely say that has started to take shape.

A new head coach in Lynne Roberts, a new franchise face in Kelsey Plum, sophomores making big strides (Rickea Jackson and Cameron Brink), and an improved overall record of 21-23, finishing the regular season just shy of the playoffs. There was plenty to like about the Sparks this season.

With the most recent headline, though, I’m quite sure that the LA side isn’t settling for a near .500 record.

The Sparks are set to open a state-of-the-art training facility in El Segundo ahead of the 2027 WNBA season, the team recently announced. Valued at $150 million and spanning 55,000 square feet, it marks a historic first for a women’s sports team!

The true “player sanctuary” will feature:

• An outdoor spa pool designed for recovery and pre-hab/rehab
• Dedicated nap rooms for players.
• Serene wellness areas designed for yoga and meditation.
• Hydrotherapy and spa suites for recovery and relaxation.
• Two full-size WNBA regulation basketball courts.
• A circular locker room designed to foster team unity.
• A state-of-the-art weight room and training areas flooded with natural light to boost energy and aid recovery.
• Panoramic views overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the surrounding mountains.

Andrew Haubner from No Cap Space WBB definitely believes this move from Magic Johnson and the ownership group will have a big effect on the future of the Sparks:

“Typically, I bristle and am a skeptic of owners that say, ‘I’m excited to get more involved.’ In the case of Magic Johnson, who isn’t the true money guy here, but he—I mean, Magic’s got a billion dollars. He’s got plenty of money. Um, his intent last season to say, ‘I want to be more involved in this,’ has really borne fruit… Hiring Lynn Roberts, for whatever you feel in terms of the risk calculus of bringing on a coach like that, statement of intent. We still need to see what the long term is, but the practice facility was really the biggest thing that I would argue held Los Angeles back as a franchise and as a destination. Now, this feels like an ownership group that is basically saying—game on.”

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at why Magic and his investment could help the Sparks reach the heights of, perhaps, even the Lakers.

Inside Magic Johnson’s Business Empire

Everyone knows about Magic’s legendary success with the Lakers, winning five championships with the franchise. But what many don’t realize is that he became the third NBA player to reach billionaire status, behind MJ and LeBron James—not through endorsements, but through smart business decisions.

In June 1994, shortly after a brief stint as the Lakers’ head coach, Magic Johnson purchased a minority stake in the team. It was reported to be around 4.5% to 5% from owner Jerry Buss for approximately $10 million. This move allowed him to stay connected to the LA franchise. It marked the start of Johnson’s transition into business and ownership, leveraging his close relationship with Jerry Buss, who considered him family and wanted to keep him in LA.

Even though Magic had to temporarily sell his shares back to the franchise when he decided to return to playing in 1996, he repurchased them after retiring again and achieved significant success as an investor. He witnessed the Kobe–Shaq era (5 NBA titles) under Phil Jackson as a minority shareholder and held on to his stake before selling it to Patrick Soon-Shiong for an estimated $29 million in 2010.

At the time, it was widely reported that Johnson was positioning himself to bid for full ownership of other NBA teams, such as the Detroit Pistons or the Golden State Warriors, since league rules prevent individuals from holding stakes in multiple franchises simultaneously. But those specific bids fell through. He has pursued no other NBA business ventures since and remains on the lookout for opportunities.

Johnson’s other business ventures have been equally impressive. He became a co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012, acquiring a 2.3% stake for $50 million. The investment clearly paid off, as the Dodgers have won two World Series during his tenure!

Another success story is the Washington Commanders. The Hall-of-Fame guard became a minority owner in 2023, contributing $240 million for a 4% stake, which he considers “the biggest thing” he’s ever done.

But Magic’s journey with the Sparks hasn’t exactly been the smoothest one.

Magic Johnson’s run with the LA Sparks despite not making “a dime”

Back in 2014, Sparks owner Paula Madison abruptly informed the league and team staff that her company could no longer operate the franchise. According to The Associated Press, Madison’s family had lost $12 million since purchasing the team from the Buss family in 2007, including $1.4 million in the last season.

The league wasted no time stepping in, taking control of the Sparks while actively searching for new ownership. The Golden State Warriors even explored the idea of purchasing the team and moving it to the Bay Area, where women’s basketball already had a strong fanbase thanks to Stanford and Cal. But ultimately, it was Magic Johnson who stepped up, teaming with New York–based Guggenheim Partners to secure the Sparks in 2014.

His “Midas touch” showed quickly, as the Sparks captured their third championship—and the only one under Johnson’s ownership—just two years after he bought the team. But since then, the franchise has been stuck in limbo. Ever since Candace Parker’s departure in 2020, the Sparks haven’t made it back to the postseason.

“Now, we’ve owned this the Sparks for a few years. We haven’t made a dime. All right. It’s been a tough going for the WNBA except now,” Johnson said during Invest Fest in 2025. The hoops legend added, “There was a time when we said, ‘Should we sell this?’ And we kept saying, ‘No, let’s hold on to it.‘”

And he was right to do so…

EssentiallySports’ verdict

There has been a meteoric change in the W. Caitlin Clark’s arrival has skyrocketed the league’s popularity. Viewership is up, ticket sales are booming, and merchandise is flying off the shelves. This surge in visibility has already paid off in a big way, with the W landing a historic $2.2 billion TV deal for the next 11 years – securing $200 million annually. The league is also projected to bring in $925 million in expansion fees by 2030, with five new teams joining the fold.

Per Sportico, the 13 franchises jumped in value by an average of 180% over the past year—more than double the largest year-over-year growth ever recorded by any major sports league. The Sparks are no exception, with their valuation soaring from $85 million in 2024 to $235 million in 2025, all while generating $16 million in revenue! This clearly signaled that the push to invest more in the team was underway.

Building practice facilities has become the latest arms race in the WNBA. The Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury, and Seattle Storm have already built dedicated training centers, while others—including the Indiana Fever, Chicago Sky, New York Liberty, and Dallas Wings have announced plans to follow suit.

In the Sparks case, they’re already one of the league’s most successful franchises, and they get the added advantage of playing in LA—a market that’s undeniably one of the biggest in America for basketball. With the new training center, it’s clear Magic Johnson and Co.’s goal is to attract top talent by showcasing their vision and project.

This is especially important because the Sparks don’t have their first-round pick for 2026. A potential lottery pick that could’ve added another star to their roster. The Storm acquired LA’s 2026 first-round pick in exchange for Kia Nurse and the fourth overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, which turned out to be Rickea Jackson, so in retrospect, they likely won’t mind the trade…

The Sparks already boast promising young players like Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, alongside experienced pros such as Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby, as we mentioned earlier in this story. This roster is more than capable of competing in the playoffs; the only thing that held them back this season was a rocky start fueled by injuries. So for the Sparks, getting a big established star in the wake of an increased salary cap, provided the CBA negotiations reach their preferred conclusion, is the primary objective, and everything seems to be slowly aligning in that direction.

Magic Johnson’s vision for the Sparks is clear: to turn them into the most successful team in WNBA history and a top destination for elite free agents—just like the Lakers in the NBA. With the right moves, it’s easy to picture a future where the Sparks dominate the league both on the court and off it.