• Jeanie Buss revealed the first time her father ever got a billion-dollar offer to sell the Lakers
• Dr. Jerry Buss had bought the team for $67.5 million in 1979
• The billion-dollar offer came from an undisclosed seller in 2003, a season after they had completed their first three-peat
The Los Angeles Lakers are arguably the most valuable franchise in all of basketball. The team symbolizes success in the NBA and claims some of the greatest players in league history as team legends. They’re in this position today due to the work of Dr. Jerry Buss through the 1980s and 1990s.
Current Lakers’ governor Jeanie Buss revealed the first time her father received a billion-dollar offer for the franchise, shortly after the Lakers three-peated in the early 2000s.
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“Well, you know, my dad, you know, I remember the first time he was offered a billion dollars for the Lakers and that was maybe 2003 or 2004. And after the three-peat that we had. And, you know, he just was so shocked by that, he couldn’t even imagine the team being worth that much.”
Dr. Jerry Buss loved the Lakers and didn’t contemplate selling the franchise even when he could have made over 1000% of his initial investment by selling it for a billion dollars in 2003. The family is still the majority owner, meaning Jerry could leave the family business behind for his children.
Today, it’s unlikely the Buss family would sell the Lakers for even $10 billion, remaining the only family-run team in the NBA as more billionaires and corporate conglomerates take control of NBA franchises.
What Are The Lakers Worth In 2023?
The Los Angeles Lakers are surprisingly not the most valuable franchise in the NBA. Even with their history of championships and presence in a location such as Los Angeles, the Lakers’ value trails behind that of the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors.
The Knicks are in the biggest media market in the country and have the largest fanbase despite their complete lack of success since the 1990s. They are valued at $6.1 billion, while the Warriors take the top spot with a valuation of $7 billion, heavily boosted by the earnings from the Chase Center overall.
The Lakers are worth $5.9 billion and earn more than both the Knicks and Warriors when it comes to sports-related income. That shows the relevance of the Lakers’ purple and gold around the world, while it’s also boosted by the popularity of their players such as LeBron James.
With the Phoenix Suns setting a record with a $4 billion sale in the winter, and the Hornets selling for approximately $3 billion, the Lakers would likely require an offer in the excess of $10 billion to get the Buss family to sell.
Jeanie Buss Got Death Threats After Lakers Bad Start In 2022-23 Season
The Lakers fanbase is massive and is filled with a lot of troubling elements. They were recently labeled the most ‘annoying’ fanbase in the NBA based on a social media analysis. Jeanie Buss revealed that fans were sending her death threats when the team had a horrible start to the 2022-23 season.
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“Last season started out really tough, it was like, ‘I’m not going to survive this, this is going to be really rough.’ I was getting death threats, and then the team, something just clicked and Anthony Davis being healthy, there’s an argument to be made that he was the best player in the NBA when he was playing.”
The Lakers started last season 2-10 but gradually improved their record throughout the year. They ended the season 16-5 to ensure they finished with a positive record and made the playoffs, where they made a run to the Western Conference Finals. Heading into next season, the Lakers are considered title favorites due to the fantastic work of the front office over the summer.
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