The Buss family have owned the Lakers for decades, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon. But with a 66% ownership share, they don’t own the entirety of the team.
Up until now, billionaire Philip Anshuntz was a partner with the Buss family and owned a minority stake in the team.
But, according to Sportico, Anshuntz is selling his stake, making way for a new minority owner of the franchise, who has yet to be identified.
Billionaire Philip Anschutz, founder of sports and entertainment giant AEG, has reached an agreement to sell his stake in the Los Angeles Lakers, according to multiple people familiar with the deal.
The identity of the buyer couldn’t be ascertained. The people were granted anonymity because the proposed sale hasn’t been approved by the NBA Board of Governors.
Obviously, Lakers fans are excited to find out who the new owner might be, but there’s just no way to know for sure until the official announcement.
Long-term, though, it raises some questions as to what might happen if the Buss family ever does decide to sell their stake in the team. Anschutz had a clause in his contract that gives him first rights if the Buss family sells, and many are wondering if that will transfer over to the new owner.
If so, it could have some implications for the Lakers’ long-term future.
Either way, it’ll be interesting to see who the buyer is and if he brings any change to the team.
