Lakers Valued at $10B as Buss Family Reportedly Sells to Mark Walter

The Buss family has reportedly reached an agreement to sell the majority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter, CEO and chairman of TWG Global. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the deal is expected to go through at a team valuation of $10 billion, which would make it the largest purchase in professional sports history. Walter is already a minority stakeholder in the Lakers while also being a part of the Dodgers ownership group. Jerry Buss first bought the team back in 1979 for $67.5 million.

Burna Boy isn’t dropping his eighth studio album, No Sign of Weakness, until July 11, but the Afrobeats hitmaker has already announced a North American tour of the same name, kicking off this fall. The jaunt begins Nov. 12 at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, where he’ll make history as the first Nigerian artist to headline the 119-year-old venue. He’ll visit major cities including Oakland, Dallas, and Washington, D.C., before concluding with two dates in Toronto on Dec. 17 and 18.

The roster for this year’s MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game was announced Wednesday, and it’s stacked with famous faces across music, entertainment, and fashion. Headlined by New York Yankees legend CC Sabathia and superstar entertainer Quavo, other participants include Jordan Chiles, Druski, Fear of God founder Jerry Lorenzo, and Olympic softball gold medalists Jennie Finch and Natasha Watle. The game is scheduled for June 12 at Truist Park in Atlanta.

Hello Sunshine, the media brand founded by Reese Witherspoon, is expanding its reach. The Oscar winner announced Wednesday the arrival of Sunnie, a Gen Z-focused label “designed to inspire the next generation of young women to reclaim their time, follow their curiosity and step into their power.” Members of that generation can expect tailored social content, experiential events, book clubs, and digital zines, all featuring talent of the same age.

Tribeca Studios and OpenAI have teamed up to develop an AI-integrated short film program for the 2026 Tribeca Festival, Variety reported Wednesday. Spanning the course of a year, two filmmakers will be selected to create live-action shorts using materials provided by OpenAI. The completed works will premiere at the 2026 festival, where a conversation will also take place discussing the intersection of AI and film.

San Jose Earthquakes owner John Fisher confirmed intentions to sell the club on Wednesday, adding that he’s recruited investment bank Moelis & Co. to help facilitate the transaction. The son of Gap founders Donald Fisher and Doris F. Fisher, John also owns the Oakland Athletics. Fisher purchased the Earthquakes in 2007 for $20 million, while Sportico valued the team at $600 million in January.

As soccer continues to grow in the United States, the NFL and Fanatics have launched the “Football x Football” Collection, a new apparel line that reimagines all 32 franchises with looks inspired by classic soccer kits. Fans attending Fanatics Fest NYC this weekend at the Javits Center will have the opportunity to purchase jerseys at Merchandise Village on Friday; however, limited releases will also be available at select NFL shops worldwide.

David Blitzer, Peter J. Holt, and Amy Griffin are purchasing the League One Volleyball Austin pro team, the league announced Wednesday. They will also receive equity stakes in LOVB itself. “Our athletes see an incredible future in Austin, particularly where volleyball is massive, both collegiately and then also on the club side at the youth level. Austin brought home our inaugural season championship, so it just couldn’t be a better place and a better ownership group for us as we grow,” LOVB President Rosie Spaulding told Boardroom’s Michelai Graham.

The Federal Open Market Committee said Wednesday afternoon it will keep rates in the 4.25% to 4.5% range they’ve stood since December. Decision-makers added that the unemployment rate currently remains low and that labor market conditions are steady. However, inflation remains somewhat elevated, which has lifted their forecast for the pace of price growth in 2025 from 2.7% to 3%. In turn, overall economic growth is likely to drop to 1.4% from a previous estimate of 1.7%.

Waymo’s self-driving vehicles are coming to the Big Apple, but there’s a catch. While the company shared on Wednesday that it has applied for a permit with the NYC Department of Transportation, the cars will first be operated autonomously with a trained specialist behind the wheel in Manhattan. With ride-hailing capabilities already in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, Waymo is preparing to bring fully autonomous rides to Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C. in 2026.

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