Ever since the Lakers moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles, the Purple and Gold have been closely associated with Hollywood and notable icons in the entertainment industry. Needless to say, this formed the backbone of the quintessential Lakers experience, as several celebrities remain loyal fans. For Hollywood actor George Lopez, however, this has changed.
George Lopez was among the many noteworthy Hollywood celebrities to be spotted sitting courtside at Lakers games. Despite being an ardent supporter, Lopez revealed that he had stopped following the Purple and Gold because of Mark Walter‘s involvement with the team.
While diving deeper into the topic during an appearance on “The Big Podcast” with Shaquille O’Neal, Lopez explained:
“You know, Shaq, I have to tell you honestly. I don’t follow the Lakers anymore because Mark Walter owns detention centers and runs them for profit. He also owns the Dodgers. As soon as I found that out, I disassociated myself from the Dodgers and the Lakers, unfortunately. I lost two teams in one week.”
“I lost two ads in one week. It didn’t hurt as much as losing the Lakers and the Dodgers,” he added. “But the idea that Dodger Stadium was built in a Latino neighborhood where people were forcibly removed in the late ’50s…”
Lopez trailed off before admitting he was also familiar with Walter, referring to him as “very friendly.” Still, he continued:
“An old cholo told me at Dodger Stadium maybe 15 years ago that I was wrong for being there. I kind of took it to heart, a little bit. I still went to the games. But when I found out that they run that thing for profit and they’re part of ICE, where they put the people, I disassociated myself.”
As someone who is not only deeply connected to the Latino community in Los Angeles, but also a cultural leader and pioneer, it is easy to see why George Lopez feels so strongly about this. Given what the people have had to endure because of an agency like ICE, Lopez’s stance on disassociating from franchises owned by Mark Walter can be understood.
But is this really the case?
According to reports, Mark Walter has not personally been linked to ICE detention centers. However, his private investment firm, Guggenheim Partners, previously owned shares in the GEO Group, a private prison company that had a contract with ICE to operate immigrant detention centers.
While this isn’t necessarily a good look for Walter either, it is worth emphasizing that Guggenheim Partners divested their shares in the private prison company following the media backlash associated with ICE. Reports indicated that Guggenheim Partners began offloading its shares in 2025, and by March 2026, it had completely wiped its hands clean of the GEO Group.
Does this justify Walter’s involvement in the first place? Not in the slightest. Given that the issues with ICE preceded the selling of its shares, the firm remains culpable. Hence, Lopez’s stance, even if slightly misdirected, remains valid.
While losing support from fans is troublesome, Mark Walter is currently facing another crisis. With the Lakers’ owner currently being investigated for fraudulent transactions dating back to 2019, it is difficult to say how things will play out for the 66-year-old.
