Buss Family Looks Beyond the Lakers, With Launch of New Sports Venture

The Buss family has announced the creation of a new sports business venture designed to expand their influence beyond the ownership of a single NBA franchise. The initiative, still in its early stages, is being structured as a platform to invest in sports, entertainment, and related businesses, marking a significant evolution in how one of basketball’s most famous families intends to participate in the global sports economy.

Amid ongoing reports of a potential sale or capital restructuring of the Los Angeles Lakers, the family is positioning itself to maintain a powerful role in the sector regardless of the team’s future. For decades, the Buss name has been synonymous with the Lakers, but this new venture suggests an ambition to transition from legacy ownership into broader participation across the sports industry. It reflects a growing recognition that the value and opportunities in sport now extend well beyond team control, encompassing media rights, technology platforms, event properties, and fan engagement businesses.

The timing of the move is striking. While speculation continues over what might happen to the Lakers’ ownership, launching a separate entity ensures the Buss family remains active in shaping sports business dynamics. The venture offers the flexibility to pursue deals in multiple sectors, potentially building a diversified portfolio of assets that takes advantage of trends such as the growth of global fan bases, the commercialisation of women’s sports, and the expansion of digital platforms.

Although the exact structure and investment focus of the new business have not yet been revealed, it is expected to lean heavily on the Buss family’s reputation and network. Their long-standing relationships within the NBA and across wider sport and entertainment circles provide access to opportunities that are difficult to replicate, giving the platform a strong foundation.

At the same time, the challenges of establishing a credible sports investment business are considerable. The family will face competition from private equity firms, sovereign wealth funds, and established sports capital platforms with deep pools of capital and experienced deal teams. Success will depend on disciplined execution, differentiated strategy, and the ability to convert legacy credibility into modern investment capability. Questions of governance, alignment of incentives, and portfolio construction will all be central to how the new venture is received in the market.

For investors and industry watchers, the most revealing details will come from the venture’s first deals. Whether the Buss family moves toward minority team ownership stakes, media rights plays, or technology-driven fan engagement platforms will indicate how it intends to compete in an increasingly crowded market. What is clear is that this step signals a reinvention of the family’s role in sport. They are moving from being defined by their stewardship of the Lakers to becoming participants in the broader architecture of global sports investment. The announcement marks the start of a new chapter, and the industry will be watching closely to see how the Buss family writes it.