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The incoming Los Angeles Lakers ownership group led by Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger has no intention of pushing through a rapid ticket-price hike. The pair instead wants to squeeze more value out of tickets currently controlled by outside brokers, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic.
The plan centers on reclaiming inventory that resellers currently mark up and flip at inflated prices. By cutting out that middleman step, the franchise could capture revenue that presently flows to third-party brokers rather than the team itself.
Lakers want to take greater control of ticket revenue
An investor presentation connected to the ownership transition reportedly showed the Lakers’ average ticket price potentially climbing from roughly $217 to $361. That number alarmed some observers given the scale of the jump.
A source familiar with the deal told the Los Angeles Times that the $361 figure was meant to demonstrate the revenue upside from reclaiming broker-held inventory, not to signal an imminent across-the-board price increase for fans.
Basketball economics around resale markets have shifted the calculus for major franchises. Teams increasingly see brokers as capturing profit that could otherwise land in team coffers, and the Lakers appear to be following that logic rather than simply raising face-value prices on season-ticket holders.
Context on pricing and the ownership transition
The Lakers already announced notable ticket-price increases for the 2026-27 season back in February. That move came months before Mark Walter agreed to sell his controlling stake to the Kushner-Iger group, meaning it predates the new ownership’s broader strategic review.
No price increases have been announced for any season beyond 2026-27. The incoming owners are still evaluating long-term operational and business strategy, and ticket pricing sits within that larger review rather than being treated as a standalone decision.
Kushner and Iger struck their agreement in August to acquire the controlling stake in the Lakers from Walter at a valuation of $12.5 billion. The sale still needs NBA approval and formal ratification from the league’s Board of Governors before it becomes official.
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Fans should watch how the new ownership balances broker inventory reclamation against ticket affordability once the sale clears league approval. Follow TipsGG for continued coverage of the Lakers’ ownership transition and its impact on the franchise.