By Mike Finger, Columnist | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-06-19 15:39:15
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
2023年10月，在洛杉矶道奇体育场举行的国联分区系列赛第一场对阵亚利桑那响尾蛇队的比赛前，洛杉矶道奇队共同所有人兼主席 马克·沃尔特 (Mark Walter) 正在场边观看。ESPN周三率先报道称，沃尔特从巴斯家族手中收购了洛杉矶湖人队，这带来了希望，人们期待他能将自己青睐积极投入和球队建设的风格带入NBA历史最悠久的球队之一。
在这个联盟最大品牌的标志性Logo背后，运营中始终存在一个并非秘密的缺陷。
掌管这支球队的家族对球星有着难以抗拒的魅力，热爱胜利，并且深谙如何最大限度地推广自己的产品。然而，在关注经济效益的同时，他们也倾向于“偷工减料”，并未像人们对一支豪门球队所期望的那样，在所有与竞技相关的事务上都尽心尽力。
因此，当周三有消息传出，这个营收庞大的“巨兽”将被出售给一位愿意大手笔投入、并完全发挥其全球影响力的买家时？
洛杉矶湖人队的支持者们为此欢欣鼓舞。
而达拉斯牛仔队球迷们则希望自己也能如此幸运。
显然，在过去三十年里，“美国之队”的追随者们羡慕“湖人秀”的情况远非第一次。即使已故的 杰里·巴斯 (Jerry Buss) 和他的孩子们在财务上表现出克制，他们仍然在过去30年里赢得了六次NBA总冠军，并两次打入NBA总决赛。而 杰里·琼斯 (Jerry Jones) 执掌的牛仔队，目前在国联（NFC）拥有最长的冠军赛荒，甚至未能接近那样的成功水平。
然而，在NBA联盟中，长期以来一直有一种看法，认为湖人队本可以做得更多，以最大化其高关注度、大市场所带来的优势。是的，他们曾大手笔投入，吸引了 勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James) 和 安东尼·戴维斯 (Anthony Davis) 这样的超级巨星，他们也准备让 卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Doncic) 比他现在还要富裕得多。但自从巴斯去世，他的女儿 珍妮·巴斯 (Jeanie Buss) 于2013年接任球队管理者以来，湖人队在薪资和奢侈税方面的投入已被其他七支球队超越。
2013年10月29日，在洛杉矶观看湖人队对阵洛杉矶快船队的NBA篮球比赛时，洛杉矶湖人队总裁珍妮·巴斯随着音乐在座位上舞动。ESPN周三率先报道称，巴斯家族已将其在湖人队的控股权出售给了洛杉矶道奇队老板马克·沃尔特。(美联社图片/丹尼·莫洛肖克，资料图)
对于一支在NBA营收方面领先，并受益于联盟最大地方电视转播合同的球队而言，其在大手笔投入方面的某些不情愿一直令人费解。在今年东契奇的交易之前，湖人队自2013年以来，在任何交易中都没有吸纳比送出更多的薪资。2021年，他们失去 亚历克斯·卡鲁索 (Alex Caruso) 仅仅是因为不想支付额外的奢侈税账单，而现在卡鲁索正在总决赛中为俄克拉荷马城雷霆队扮演着关键角色。
正如ESPN本周所指出，湖人队还曾对潜在的主教练候选人开出低价，同时在组建数据分析团队方面进展缓慢，并倾向于聘用他们熟悉的管理层人员，而非寻求最优秀的外部人才。
对于那些自1990年代 吉米·约翰逊 (Jimmy Johnson) 离开牛仔队后，一直关注琼斯和他的孩子们运营球队的人来说，至少其中一些听起来可能很熟悉。 布莱恩·肖滕海默 (Brian Schottenheimer) 或许能奏效。但他也是珍妮·巴斯可能会聘用的那种主教练候选人。
湖人队的“小气”至少有迹可循。在NBA，巴斯家族是一个异类。联盟中其他所有球队的经营者都是在篮球领域之外积累财富的，并将其球队视为投资组合的一部分。例如，在洛杉矶，快船队在被微软前亿万富翁总裁 史蒂夫·鲍尔默 (Steve Ballmer) 收购后，搬进了豪华的新球馆，并且一直在疯狂地投入资金。
与此同时，几十年来，湖人队一直是巴斯家族的主要业务。杰里·巴斯于1979年以总计6750万美元的价格买下了湖人队、洛杉矶国王队以及大西部论坛球馆。从那时起，他和他的家人主要依靠球队产生的收入来运营湖人队。
2023年12月14日星期四，在洛杉矶道奇体育场举行的一场棒球新闻发布会上，洛杉矶道奇队的 大谷翔平 (Shohei Ohtani) （右）在老板兼主席马克·沃尔特的帮助下穿上了一件球衣。ESPN周三率先报道称，沃尔特从巴斯家族手中收购了洛杉矶湖人队，这带来了希望，人们期待他能将自己青睐积极投入和球队建设的风格（例如签下大谷翔平）带入NBA历史最悠久的球队之一。(美联社图片/阿什利·兰迪斯)
ESPN周三率先报道称，巴斯的子女们已同意将湖人队的控股权出售给TWG全球公司首席执行官马克·沃尔特，此次交易对湖人队的估值为100亿美元。
如果沃尔特经营篮球业务的方式与他运营其他大型职业体育队伍的方式相似，湖人队就不必再担心在任何球员或资源上的竞价中被击败了。作为卫冕世界大赛冠军洛杉矶道奇队的老板，沃尔特执掌下的球队连续五年保持前五的薪资总额，同时向组织的其他部分投入了大量资源。
也许最重要的是，沃尔特似乎明白自己不懂什么。据《洛杉矶时报》报道，沃尔特认为没有必要过多地干预球队事务，或者对每一项人事变动都指手画脚。这些决定由他任命的那些经验丰富、能力出众的专家负责做出，其中包括总裁兼首席执行官 斯坦·卡斯滕 (Stan Kasten) 和棒球运营总裁 安德鲁·弗里德曼 (Andrew Friedman) 。
琼斯当然不是一个擅长放权的人。他仍然是牛仔队的总裁兼总经理，而在球队组织架构中，直接向他汇报的三名高管恰好都是他的子女。
2023年7月25日，在球队训练营开放前，达拉斯牛仔队老板杰里·琼斯在媒体面前发表讲话。随着洛杉矶湖人队出售给积极进取的洛杉矶道奇队老板马克·沃尔特，这不禁让人思考，如果达拉斯牛仔队也采取类似的做法，现在拥有国联（NFC）最长无缘分区冠军赛纪录的他们，能够取得怎样的成就。
他们共同将牛仔队打造成了体育界最有价值的球队。截至2024年底，《福布斯》杂志预计牛仔队的价值为101亿美元，领先于 金州勇士队 (Golden State Warriors) 的88亿美元。
在同一份《福布斯》榜单中，湖人队的估值为71亿美元。如今，他们在公开市场上已经远远超越了这个数字，那么，如果琼斯愿意，他的球队能卖到150亿美元，甚至200亿美元，这会是异想天开吗？
很可能，我们永远不会知道。琼斯哪儿也不会去，他的孩子们也一样。
因此，当牛仔队球迷们本周目睹一个全球品牌被一位愿意大手笔投入且不干预事务的老板接手时？
如果他们有些嫉妒，请原谅他们。
点击查看原文：Lakers' sale to Mark Walter leaves what ifs for Cowboys fans
Lakers’ sale to Mark Walter leaves what ifs for Cowboys fans
Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner and chairman Mark Walter looks on prior to Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks in October 2023 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Walter purchased the Los Angeles Lakers from the Buss family, ESPN first reported Wednesday, bringing hope that he will bring his penchant for aggressive spending and team-building to one of the NBA’s most storied franchises.
Behind the iconic logo of the biggest brand in the league, there always has been a not-so-secret flaw in the operation.
The family in charge finds stars irresistible, loves the idea of winning, and knows how to market the heck out of its product. But it’s also tended to cut corners while watching the bottom line, and it hasn’t conducted all of its competition-related business like one might expect from a glamour franchise.
So when news broke Wednesday that this revenue-hoarding behemoth was being sold to a buyer willing to spend big and unleash the total power of global popularity?
Those rooting for the Los Angeles Lakers rejoiced.
While Dallas Cowboys fans wished they could be so lucky.
Obviously, it’s far from the first time in the last three decades that followers of America’s Team have found reason to envy the Lake Show. Even while the late Jerry Buss and his children were showing financial restraint, they still managed to produce six NBA championships plus two other trips to the NBA Finals in the last 30 years. Jerry Jones’ Cowboys, who now own the longest championship-game drought in the NFC, haven’t come even close to that level of success.
But around the NBA, there’s long been a sense that the Lakers could have done more to maximize their high-profile, big-market advantages. Yes, they spent big to attract superstars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and they’ve been prepared to make Luka Doncic even more absurdly wealthy than he already is. But since Buss died and his daughter Jeanie took over as team governor in 2013, the Lakers have been outspent by seven other franchises in salaries and tax money.
Los Angeles Lakers President Jeanie Buss dances in her seat to music as she attends the NBA basketball game between the Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers in Los Angeles, Oct. 29, 2013. The Buss family sold their controlling stake in the Lakers to Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter, ESPN first reported Wednesday. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok, File)
For a franchise that leads the NBA in revenue and benefits from the largest local TV deal in the league, some of the reluctance to splurge has been tough to explain. Before the Doncic trade this year, the Lakers hadn’t taken back more salary than they’d sent out in any deal since 2013. In 2021, they lost Alex Caruso for no other reason than they didn’t want the extra luxury-tax bill, and now Caruso is proving to be a difference-maker for Oklahoma City in the Finals.
As noted by ESPN this week, the Lakers also have lowballed potential head coaching candidates, while being slow to build their analytics staff and preferring to hire front office staff they’re familiar with instead of pursuing the best outside candidates.
At least some of that might sound familiar to those who have watched Jones and his kids operate since Jimmy Johnson left the Cowboys in the 1990s. Brian Schottenheimer might work out. But he’s also the kind of head coach candidate Jeanie Buss would have hired.
There’s at least an explanation for the Lakers’ thriftiness. In the NBA, the Buss family was an outlier. Every other team ownership group in the league made its fortune outside of basketball, and considers its franchise part of a portfolio. Across Los Angeles, for example, the Clippers moved into a luxurious new arena and have been spending like crazy since being purchased by Steve Ballmer, the billionaire former head of Microsoft.
The Lakers, meanwhile, have been the Busses’ main business for decades. Jerry Buss bought the Lakers, the Los Angeles Kings and the Great Western Forum for a total of $67.5 million in 1979. Since then, he and his family have operated the Lakers mainly off the revenue the team produces.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, right, puts on a jersey with the help of owner & chairman Mark Walter during a baseball news conference at Dodger Stadium Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Los Angeles. Walter purchased the Los Angeles Lakers from the Buss family, ESPN first reported Wednesday, bringing hope that he will bring his penchant for aggressive spending and team-building, seen in signings like that of Ohtani, to one of the NBA’s most storied franchises. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
ESPN was the first to report Wednesday that Buss’ children had agreed to sell a controlling stake of the Lakers to TWG Global CEO Mark Walter with a franchise valuation of $10 billion.
If Walter’s approach to the basketball business is anything like the way he’s run his other big professional sports team, the Lakers shouldn’t worry about getting outbid for anyone or anything anymore. As owner of the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, Walter has overseen a powerhouse that has carried a Top 5 payroll five years in a row while shoveling loads of resources into the rest of the organization.
Perhaps most importantly, Walter seems to recognize what he doesn’t know. Per the Los Angeles Times, Walter doesn’t see the need to hang around the team much, or to weigh in on every personnel move. Those decisions are made by the accomplished, well-qualified experts he put in charge, including president and CEO Stan Kasten and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.
Jones, of course, isn’t much of a delegator. He’s still the Cowboys’ president and general manager, and the three executives directly below him on the team’s organizational chart happen to be his kids.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones speaks in front of the media before the team opened its training camp, July 25, 2023. With the sale of the Los Angeles Lakers to aggressive Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter, it brings to mind questions of what the Dallas Cowboys could accomplish with a similar approach with the team now having longest conference championship game drought in the NFC.
Together, they’ve made the Cowboys the most valuable franchise in sports. At the end of 2024, Forbes projected the Cowboys’ value at $10.1 billion, ahead of the Golden State Warriors at $8.8 billion.
In that same Forbes list, the Lakers were projected at $7.1 billion. Now that they’ve blown that number away on the open market, would it be crazy to think Jones could fetch $15 billion for his team if he wanted to? Even $20 billion?
Chances are, we’ll never know. Jones isn’t going anywhere, and neither are his kids.
So while Cowboys fans watch this week as a worldwide brand gets taken over by a guy willing to spend big and get out of the way?
Forgive them if they’re a little jealous.
By Mike Finger, Columnist, via San Antonio Express-News