The ownership situation for the Los Angeles Lakers is in complete flux right now as Mark Walter has agreed to sale his majority shares to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger. And while questions about the minority shares of the franchise have focused largely on the Buss family, there are other minority owners whose future could be in question as well.
One of those is Todd Boehly, who is the business partner of Walter and also owns stakes in Chelsea FC of the English Premier League, as well as the Los Angeles Dodgers. But as it currently stands, Boehly is remaining a limited partner of the Lakers, via Charles Gasparino of the New York Post:
Walter’s business partner Todd Boehly, who also owns the UK’s Chelsea Football Club and a chunk of the LA Dodgers, currently remains a limited partner in the Lakers, sources said.
This doesn’t mean that his status couldn’t change in the coming months as Boehly could also choose to sell of his shares, especially with the valuation that Kushner and Iger purchased the Lakers at being $12.5 billion. But for the time being, that is not the case.
Of course, five of the Buss siblings voted to sell their remaining minority shares to Kushner and Iger which has caused a legal battle as Jeanie Buss does not want to give up those shares and the role as Lakers governor that comes with it. But the rest of the Buss siblings are ready to move on from the franchise and want to cash out. With his partner Walter moving on, it wouldn’t be a surprise for Boehly to want to do the same, but that hasn’t occurred just yet.
Another minority owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong has already come out publicly to say that he isn’t selling his shares, so it truly is a matter of what each individual prefers to do.
According to recent reports, Jeanie is willing to buy other shares to maintain her 15% stake to remain governor. If she does that though, it won’t be coming from Soon-Shiong or Boehly.
Josh Kushner expected to be Lakers controlling shareholder with Bob Iger as minority owner
It has been Iger who has been out front since news came down of he and Kushner’s purchase of the Lakers, however it will apparently be Kushner who is the controlling owner. Kushner will reportedly operate as the main shareholder and owner of the Lakers while Iger will be a minority owner and handle day-to-day operations.
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