$12.5 billion, and a new Lakers owner again
Josh Kushner and Bob Iger have agreed to buy the Lakers from Mark Walter for a record $12.5 billion — less than a year after Walter bought them at a $10 billion valuation.
Good morning! The most valuable franchise sale in the history of American sports happened Wednesday, and it happened to the Lakers — again. Elsewhere, the Dodgers swept Kansas City behind an Ohtani blast but held their breath when Freddie Freeman went headfirst into the Royals’ dugout. The Padres beat the best team in baseball in extras to complete a sweep and move into the second Wild Card spot. And tonight football returns: the Chargers and Raiders both open the preseason. Let’s get into it.
🚨 HEADLINES
🏀 Sold, again. Kushner and Iger agreed to buy the Lakers from Mark Walter for a record $12.5 billion — Carlos Yakimowich in Los Angeles.
⚾ Sweep, and a scare. Ohtani’s 27th homer keyed a 4-2 win, but Freeman’s fall into the dugout stole the night — Fredo Cervantes at Dodger Stadium.
⚾ Into the spot. The Padres rallied twice in extras to sweep MLB-best Milwaukee, 4-3, and take the second NL Wild Card — James Newell at Petco Park.
⚾ First one. Josh Klassen picked up his first career win and Ben Joyce his first save of the season in a 5-2 Angels victory — Jack Haslett at Angel Stadium.
⚾ Next step. Angels interim coach Tim Leveque is ready for what comes after — Jack Haslett at Angel Stadium.
⚽ Shootout survival. LAFC beat Querétaro on penalties with a quarterfinal spot still in the balance — David Martinez at BMO Stadium.
⚽ Strong finish. San Diego FC capped its Leagues Cup run with a 3-2 win over Club Puebla — Angel Rodriguez at Snapdragon Stadium.
See what else is trending at The Sporting Tribune.
📋 SCOREBOARD — WEDNESDAY
⚾ MLB: Dodgers 4, Royals 2 (sweep) · Padres 4, Brewers 3 (11, sweep) · Angels 5, Rangers 2
⚽ Leagues Cup: LAFC 1-1 Querétaro (5-4 PKs) · San Diego FC 3, Club Puebla 2
🏀 THE MOST EXPENSIVE TEAM EVER SOLD
Mark Walter bought the Lakers last year at a valuation of about $10 billion — itself a record for a controlling sale of a U.S. sports franchise, surpassing the Celtics at $6.1 billion and the Commanders at $6.05 billion. On Wednesday, less than a year later, he agreed to sell to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger for $12.5 billion.
Kushner, founder of Thrive Capital, and Iger, the longtime Disney chief, had been pursuing an NBA expansion franchise in Las Vegas before pivoting to buy an established brand outright. “As lifelong NBA fans, we are deeply honored for the opportunity to become stewards of the Los Angeles Lakers,” they said in a statement. “We have immense respect for the leadership and vision of Jerry and Jeanie Buss.” Walter, whose portfolio also includes the Dodgers, the Sparks, Chelsea and interests in the PWHL and Cadillac F1, is selling only his Lakers stake — the Dodgers are unaffected. “The Lakers belong to Los Angeles,” Walter said, “and I have every confidence the best is still ahead.” Pending league approval, a franchise the Buss family held for nearly five decades will have had three controlling ownership structures in roughly a year.
GO DEEPER
› Carlos Yakimowich: Bob Iger, Josh Kushner to buy Lakers for record $12.5 billion (The Sporting Tribune)
› Eric Lambkins II: How the news of the Lakers’ sale overshadowed one of its own (The Sporting Tribune)
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⚾ A SWEEP, AND A HELD BREATH
The Dodgers won their third straight, 4-2, to sweep Kansas City after having dropped eight of nine. Then Freddie Freeman chased a foul ball in the eighth and went over the railing into the Royals’ dugout. “We really dodged a bullet,” Dave Roberts said. Freeman is day to day with soreness on his right side — not his surgically repaired ankle — and no head contact. “I’m in good spirits,” he said, hoping to play Thursday. Mookie Betts wasn’t worried: “Freddie, if he broke something, he would have still got up and finished the inning.”
Before that, plenty went right. Shohei Ohtani jumped the first pitch of an at-bat in the third and drove a two-run, opposite-field homer for the lead — his 27th of the season and 147th as a Dodger. Only Mark McGwire (159 with St. Louis), Alex Rodriguez (156 with Texas) and Babe Ruth (149 with the Yankees) hit more through their first three seasons with a franchise. Betts homered 412 feet to the left-field pavilion, Hunter Feduccia hit his first as a Dodger, and Eric Lauer threw 112 pitches over 6⅓ innings of one-run ball — Los Angeles is 10-1 when he pitches. Landon Knack got the final eight outs for his first save. The Dodgers are 73-48 and host Milwaukee tonight.
GO DEEPER
› Fredo Cervantes: Freddie Freeman’s scary fall overshadows Dodgers’ sweep as Ohtani delivers (The Sporting Tribune)
⚾ NOBODY IS COUNTING THE PADRES OUT NOW
Two months ago the Padres were near the bottom of the league in every meaningful offensive category with no reliable rotation. Wednesday they finished a sweep of Milwaukee — the best team in baseball by record — with a 4-3 win in 11 innings, and it took two separate comebacks to do it.
Down a run in the eighth against Dustin May, who had retired 10 straight, San Diego drew a leadoff walk and worked its way to Jake Cronenworth, who beat out an infield single on a nine-pitch at-bat while Fernando Tatis Jr. read the play and never stopped running from second. “I saw the play was going to unfold on first base and I just went for it,” Tatis said. Gary Sánchez put Milwaukee back ahead in the 11th; Adrian Morejon escaped bases loaded to keep it there. Then Jackson Merrill’s sac fly tied it and Luis Campusano singled home the winner. The bullpen — Bradgley Rodriguez, Jeremiah Estrada, Kyle Hart and Mason Miller — threw five scoreless. “Those are the games you live for,” Craig Stammen said. San Diego is 65-57, 17-9 since the break, and now holds the second NL Wild Card spot outright. “Right on time,” Tatis said. “I keep saying it that way.”
GO DEEPER
› James Newell: Padres rally in extras to sweep Brewers and hold onto playoff spot (The Sporting Tribune)
⚾ FIRSTS IN ANAHEIM
A season that turned into a rebuild at the deadline is producing the kind of nights that make rebuilds worth watching. Josh Klassen picked up the first win of his career and Ben Joyce recorded his first save of the season as the Angels beat Texas 5-2, backing up Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the same club. Anaheim has taken two straight from the Rangers after dropping Monday’s extra-inning opener. Elsewhere in the clubhouse, interim coach Tim Leveque is positioning himself for whatever comes next.
GO DEEPER
› Jack Haslett: Klassen gets first career win, Joyce gets first save of the season in 5-2 win (The Sporting Tribune)
› Jack Haslett: Angels interim coach Tim Leveque is ready for the next step (The Sporting Tribune)
📺 WATCHLIST — THURSDAY, AUGUST 13
🏈 NFL Preseason: Chargers at Texans — Reliant Stadium — 5:00 p.m. — CBS
🏈 NFL Preseason: Cardinals at Raiders — Allegiant Stadium — 5:00 p.m. — KTLA/FOX5
🏀 WNBA: Sparks at Liberty — Barclays Center — 5:00 p.m. — Prime Video
⚾ MLB: Rangers at Angels — Angel Stadium — 7:00 p.m. — ABTV
🏀 WNBA: Mystics at Aces — Michelob ULTRA Arena — 7:00 p.m. — Prime Video
⚾ MLB: Brewers at Dodgers — Dodger Stadium — 7:10 p.m. — SNLA
Coming up: Football is back in both markets tonight. The Aces and Mystics settle their season series in Las Vegas, and the Padres get a rare day off before opening in Cleveland on Friday.
🎟️ GOING TO A GAME?
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🏈 Cardinals at Raiders — Allegiant Stadium — $13
⚾ Brewers at Dodgers — Dodger Stadium — $51
🏀 Mystics at Aces — Michelob ULTRA Arena — $5
🌴 TST TRIVIA
Shohei Ohtani now has 147 home runs as a Dodger. Only three players in MLB history hit more through their first three seasons with a franchise. Can you name them?
Answer at the bottom.
🎧 THE SPORTING TRIBUNE TODAY
Today’s episode gets into the record $12.5 billion Lakers sale and what a third owner in a year means for the franchise, Freddie Freeman’s fall and the Dodgers’ sweep, and a Padres club that just took the second Wild Card spot from the best team in baseball. Hear it on the radio across Southern California, Las Vegas and Hawaii via Westwood One Sports, The Bet Las Vegas, Hawaii Sports Radio Network and KIRN in Los Angeles.
› Listen to the latest episode
Trivia answer: Mark McGwire (159, St. Louis), Alex Rodriguez (156, Texas) and Babe Ruth (149, New York Yankees).
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