Lakers owner Mark Walter has already made some sweeping changes to the organization, and he’s just announced some more. In a report by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin on Saturday, it was revealed that the franchise has plans to drive up the cost of attending games at the Crypto.com Arena.
“We are adjusting season ticket pricing for next season,” the Lakers said in a statement. “The updates reflect the current market landscape and demand.”
BREAKING: Lakers new owner Mark Walter will implement steep ticket price increases next season 😭
“We are adjusting season ticket pricing for next season… The updates reflect the current market landscape and demand” pic.twitter.com/TvFdTu5ufg
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) February 22, 2026
The average price for a Lakers ticket is roughly $300, but that number ranges drastically depending on the seat. For some, like online basketball personality Rob Perez, the pricing could go up by 14% in some sections, with a potential additional 3% administrative fee if the invoice is not paid on time.
The price update will also hit season-ticket holders. One anonymous source told ESPN that his seats jumped from $6,192 in 2025-26 to $9,035 for 2026-27, when the price in 2024-25 was just $5,494. That makes a 45.9% increase, a significant raise for what was already an expensive viewing experience.
It’s no coincidence that this decision comes in the wake of Tim Harris’s departure, the longtime president of business operations. Lon Rosen will be taking over, using his experience with the Dodgers to maximize profits in the NBA. While they believe that the price hike is fair, Lakers fans are (understandably) less than pleased.
“Why is he implementing Dodgers ticket prices for the Lakers? You know how f**kin’ expensive those Dodger tickets is and it’s already high for the Lakers,” one fan wrote.
Of course, this increase makes much more sense if LeBron ends up staying for one last season. We don’t know his plans right now, but the Lakers will capitalize regardless.
“LeBron leaving this team and they’re increasing prices??? Or this means LeBron is staying, and they know it’s potential farewell tour hours,” one Lakers fan theorized.
Ultimately, this change hurts the regular fan more than anyone else, and that’s a real problem. The average, everyday Americans are getting priced out of live games just as the viewing experience has become more complicated than ever. It’s a concerning trend for the Lakers and the NBA that will make it increasingly difficult for fans to keep up with their team.
“Was talking to somebody about this, but it’s sad to see how much the casual fan is getting priced out of games now,” a fan lamented on X. “Would have loved to see Knicks/Pistons on Thursday, but was not shelling out $350+ for tickets the day of the game.”
You can’t blame Mark Walter for trying to cash in on his investment. At the end of the day, the NBA is a business, and owners are going to do what they can to maximize profits. For the most lucrative team in the league, you can’t expect the tickets to be cheap, but no fan wants to make it harder to attend games.
At the very least, if the Lakers are going to drive up ticket prices like this, they better ensure the product delivers. Fortunately, with Luka Doncic under contract for years, the chances are good that they can build teams that will justify the updated pricetag.
