?League Wasn?t Gonna Survive?: From Kobe Bryant to LeBron James, Jeanie Buss Provides Insights Into Managing $6.44 Billion Franchise in Different Eras

Jeanie Buss is the controlling owner and president of the LA Lakers, one of the richest franchises which is currently valued at $6.44 billion. She has successfully navigated the team through different eras, from the Kobe Bryant era to the current LeBron James era. Adapting the management style to the changing dynamics, Jeanie took over the owner role in 2013 after her father Jerry Buss passed away in the same year.?

In a recent interview with The Athletic’s NBA Show, Buss discussed the differences between running the Lakers in her father’s era and running the team today. She noted that the league has changed dramatically in that time, both in terms of ownership and financial structure.?

The changing landscape in the NBA?

Jeanie highlighted the shift in NBA ownership over the years. In her father?s time, owners like him and Larry Miller of the Utah Jazz mostly made their money in real estate and car dealerships. There was always a risk of losing money.?

However, today, the landscape has changed, with investment funds and equity playing a significant role. This shift has brought a different approach to managing the team. She says, ?Now it’s all investment funds equity and they just have a different way of approaching the league than in my dad?s time.?

According to Jeanie, in the old era, the survival of the league was uncertain, with teams on the brink of bankruptcy. The fear of franchises disappearing was real. She points out, ?In my dad?s time there were concerns like the league wasn?t gonna survive. Teams would be close to bankruptcy because they would be losing so much money operating the team. You didn?t know if somebody was just gonna disappear and the franchise would be gone.?

She continues saying,

?Now these teams are worth so much and you know there is just a different way in how we approach the business?. And she isn’t wrong in coming to that conclusion as NBA teams have seen a 390% increase in value over the last decade, and for the first time, the average NBA team is worth more than $2 billion. The threat of bankruptcy seems to be a thing of the past.

Jeanie Buss?s management style

After taking over the Lakers? reins, she had to make tough decisions. One of the most notable ones was firing her own brother, Jim Buss, who was then the leader of basketball operations. His tenure was marked by a series of disastrous decisions. In her own words, she said, ?The way he was operating the team, we were making a nice home at the bottom of the standings year after year,?

Under her leadership, the Lakers have seen a resurgence. The team?s value has grown significantly. During her time in charge, Buss has seen the Lakers win one championship.

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