Walter sold the Lakers for $12.5 billion earlier this month — a mere 14 months after purchasing the franchise
Speculation about the future of the Los Angeles Dodgers has surfaced as owner Mark Walter, CEO of Guggenheim Partners, faces scrutiny from federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding potential loan fraud. He is also the CEO of TWG Global, a diversified holding company that is the subject of federal investigations.
Walter recently agreed to sell the Los Angeles Lakers for $12.5 billion just one year after purchasing the team for $10 billion. He is also reportedly looking to sell his stake in Premier League club Chelsea F.C. On Friday, Dodgers president Stan Kasten attempted to quell speculation about the future of the team and said flatly the franchise will not be sold.
“The Dodgers are not being sold. They’re not for sale. There’s no process that has been started to sell it, period. We are planning only to win,” Kasten said (via the Associated Press). “… I can’t tell you how important the Dodgers are to Mark. The Lakers thing? The Lakers were important to him too, but it’s kind of an extraordinary opportunity, which he took.”
Shohei Ohtani’s contract includes a “key man” clause that allows him to opt out and become a free agent if Walter or Andrew Friedman, the club’s president of baseball operations, leaves the team.
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Walter, 66, is based in Chicago. Guggenheim purchased the Dodgers for a then-record $2.15 billion in 2012. Walter is not believed to be exploring sales for his other sports properties, which include the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, the Professional Women’s Hockey League, and TWG Motorsports. He is cooperating with the investigations.
Under Guggenheim, the Dodgers have won three World Series championships (2020, 2024-25) plus two other National League pennants (2017-18).
Los Angeles has baseball’s second-best record at 78-51. They are on track to win their 13th NL West title in 14 years under Guggenheim.
