Lakers tickets could see staggering price hike under new ownership

The Lakers’ new owners may be about to make a night at Crypto.com Arena a whole lot more expensive.

The average Lakers ticket could jump from $217 to $361 within the next two years as the team looks to take greater control of the resale market and squeeze out ticket brokers, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

That would amount to roughly a 66% increase.

Under Mark Walter’s ownership, the Lakers announced in February that fans should expect significant ticket increases for the 2026-27 season, pointing to a broader trend of rising prices across the NBA.

The price hike comes as the franchise prepares for a change in ownership — and an ambitious plan to turn the Lakers into a $30 billion sports powerhouse.

Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger agreed to purchase the team for a record-setting $12.5 billion, with plans to push the Lakers’ valuation to at least $30 billion within the next decade, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The team already has little trouble filling seats.

The Lakers packed Crypto.com Arena to 99.8% capacity last season, according to ESPN, leaving little indication that demand is slowing.

The new pricing strategy is also reminiscent of moves by the Lakers’ baseball neighbors.

The Dodgers previously moved to cut out ticket brokers as they sought greater control over their own resale market.

The Dodgers have continued to draw massive crowds, leading MLB in attendance and on pace to sell 4 million tickets for a second straight season.

Thrive Eternal, Kushner’s sports properties company, projected the Lakers could leverage increases in ticket prices, media rights, sponsorships and international growth to generate close to $600 million in annual profit by 2037.

The Lakers’ current $12.5 billion valuation falls just $3 billion behind the world’s most valuable sports team: the Dallas Cowboys.

The Lakers are already a lucrative professional sports franchise with the team on pace to generate $681 million in revenue in 2026. Ticketing and media rights are set to account for the largest share of revenue this year.

Under ownership’s new plans, revenue is set to reach at least $1.6 billion by the end of 2037.