When Guggenheim Baseball Management was introduced as new owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the group was headed by Mark Walter as controlling partner and included team president and CEO Stan Kasten, along with part-owners Todd Boehly, Peter Guber, Magic Johnson and Bobby Patton.
Since that point the Dodgers have added Billie Jean King, Ilana Kloss, Alan Smolinisky and Robert L. Plummer to the ownership group in recent years. At the time of being involved with the Dodgers, Johnson no longer held a small percentage in the L.A. Lakers, which had been sold to Patrick Soon-Shiong.
However, Johnson maintained his ownership stake with the Dodgers during his brief time as Lakers president of basketball operations.
There now is due to be more overlapping between the storied franchises as Walter and Boehly are buying the minority stake in the Lakers that is being sold by AEG founder Philip Anschultz, according to Scott Soshnick of Sportico:
Los Angeles Dodgers owners Mark Walter and Todd Boehly are purchasing the minority stake of the Los Angeles Lakers being sold by billionaire Philip Anschultz, according to five people with direct knowledge of the matter.
Anschutz’s stake comes with the right of first refusal to buy any additional shares that come to market. That right will transfer to Boehly and Walter, according to one of the people.
After the Buss family holding 66% ownership of the Lakers franchise, Anschultz’s 27% share is the next-highest. While a deal is in place to sell to Boehly and Walter, the NBA Board of Governors must approve the sale.
Anschultz’s AEG owns and operates the Staples Center, where the Lakers will continue playing their home games after extending their lease through 2041.
Walter credited for Dodgers signing Bauer
Coming off their first World Series since 1988, the Dodgers made efforts to improve their roster during the offseason by signing Trevor Bauer.
He fielded interest from multiple teams, and the Dodgers making a substantial financial commitment was a byproduct of Walter granting his approval.
“Thinking that it wasn’t going to work out and waking up Friday, continuing the process of having conversations, our ownership group — Mark Walter — put some wind behind the sail and said, ‘Let’s go get this done,'” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman relayed during Bauer’s introductory press conference.
“Fortunately it wasn’t too late and we were able to come to this outcome.
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