Bob Iger becomes Lakers owner despite being a Clippers fan
Former Disney CEO and Clippers superfan acquired the Lakers for $12.5B with Josh Kushner, reviving old podcast comments about his NBA allegiances.
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Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 12 items across 3 sources · 3h ago. Quotes are verbatim.
What to know
- Bob Iger and Josh Kushner acquired the Lakers for $12.5 billion from Mark Walter, who is under federal investigation.
- Iger's 2021 podcast comments revealing he is a Clippers superfan have resurfaced, creating tension with the Lakers fanbase he now owns.
- Iger stated on JJ Redick's podcast that rooting for the Lakers is "not in my DNA," citing his childhood allegiance to the Knicks and the Lakers' historic rivalry with New York.
- Iger pledged commitment to the Lakers as "lifelong NBA fans," but will likely face questions from fans about his stated basketball loyalties.
How it unfolded
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Commenters on Reddit noted that the previous Lakers owner Mark Walter is under federal investigation, explaining why he sold the team, and questioned Iger's management of other sports properties.
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Sports media outlets began reporting on the contradiction between Iger's stated Clippers loyalty and his new role as Lakers owner, with outlets noting the issue would likely require explanation to Lakers fans.
“Being a Clippers fan, of course, is not a crime, though one can make the case that it demonstrates questionable judgment. But it's going to eventually require an explanation from Iger to the fans of the team that he's soon to own.”
Yahoo Sports · Press ↗ -
As news of the Lakers acquisition spread, Iger's 2021 podcast comments about being a Clippers fan and finding Lakers fandom incompatible with his DNA were widely circulated across social media and sports outlets.
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Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner agreed to purchase the Los Angeles Lakers for $12.5 billion from controlling owner Mark Walter, marking the second ownership change of the franchise in 14 months.
- 293 weeks quiet
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Then-Disney CEO Bob Iger appeared on the "Old Man and the Three" podcast co-hosted by JJ Redick and disclosed that he is a Clippers fan, explaining his reasoning tied to his childhood as a Knicks fan.
“I'm a Clippers fan. Having moved from New York to Los Angeles back in 2000 and being a big NBA fan, I needed a team to root for. And in my youth, the Lakers were a big rival of the Knicks, the team I grew up rooting for. So I couldn't root…”
Bob Iger · Mastodon ↗
What people are saying verbatim
“I'm a Clippers fan. Having moved from New York to Los Angeles back in 2000 and being a big NBA fan, I needed a team to root for. And in my youth, the Lakers were a big rival of the Knicks, the team I grew up rooting for. So I couldn't root for the Lakers very easily. It just was not in my DNA.”
Bob Iger, Lakers co-owner (pending) · Old Man and the Three podcast ↗ · Dec 31
“As lifelong NBA fans, we are deeply honored for the opportunity to become stewards of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most iconic sports franchises in the world.”
Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, Lakers co-owners (pending) · Joint statement ↗ · Aug 11
“Being a Clippers fan, of course, is not a crime, though one can make the case that it demonstrates questionable judgment. But it's going to eventually require an explanation from Iger to the fans of the team that he's soon to own.”
Yahoo Sports, Sports outlet · Yahoo Sports ↗ · Aug 11
“Yes, the Lakers were sold last year but, the guy who bought the team is under investigation from the federal government. This is why he sold the team to Bob Iger and the Kushner brother”
silklighting, Reddit commenter · Reddit ↗ · Aug 12
“With the way Bob Iger treats Angel FC (his women's soccer team that also plays in LA), yeah, Lakers are going to be straight booty cheeks now lol”
silklighting, Reddit commenter · Reddit ↗ · Aug 12
The conversation positions from the crowd, verbatim
The resurfaced podcast comments have prompted skepticism and criticism from Reddit commenters, with discussion centered on the awkwardness of Iger's Clippers fandom, the context of Walter's federal investigation, and concerns about Iger's management of other sports properties.
The dispute Whether Iger's historical Clippers fandom is a legitimate concern versus a non-issue compared to his track record managing other sports properties and the circumstances of Walter's sale.
Iger's Clippers fandom is problematic and requires public explanation to Lakers fans.
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“Iger's previously stated NBA loyalties — in the context of his Lakers ownership — stink.”
Yahoo Sports (article commentary) · Yahoo Sports ↗ -
“Being a Clippers fan, of course, is not a crime, though one can make the case that it demonstrates questionable judgment. But it's going to eventually require an explanation from Iger to the fans of the team that he's soon to own.”
Yahoo Sports · Yahoo Sports ↗
Iger's Clippers fandom is a distraction from more serious concerns about his ownership and the franchise's future.
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“Yes, the Lakers were sold last year but, the guy who bought the team is under investigation from the federal government. This is why he sold the team to Bob Iger and the Kushner brother”
silklighting · Reddit ↗ -
“With the way Bob Iger treats Angel FC (his women's soccer team that also plays in LA), yeah, Lakers are going to be straight booty cheeks now lol”
silklighting · Reddit ↗
- Will Iger publicly renounce his Clippers fandom or explain his transition to rooting for the Lakers?
- How will his relationship with JJ Redick (current Lakers coach) evolve under this new ownership structure?
Voices from the web unedited
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Bob Iger once told JJ Redick that rooting for Lakers is not ‘in his DNA’ as a longtime Clippers fan https://www. rawchili.com/nba/810479/ # Basketball # BobIger # Clippers # JJRedick # LA # LAClippers # LAClippers # LosAngeles # LosAngelesClippers # LosAngelesLakers # LosAngeles # LosAngelesClippers # NBA
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Yes, the Lakers were sold last year but, the guy who bought the team is under investigation from the federal government. This is why he sold the team to Bob Iger and the Kushner brother
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Bob Iger’s Clippers Confession Resurfaces After Lakers Deal https://www. rawchili.com/nba/810123/ # Basketball # Clippers # LA # LAClippers # LAClippers # LosAngeles # LosAngelesClippers # LosAngeles # LosAngelesClippers # NBA
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The cheapest NBA franchise today is more valuable than the most expensive franchise was in 2016. They're all profitable no matter how bad they are.
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With the way Bob Iger treats Angel FC (his women's soccer team that also plays in LA), yeah, Lakers are going to be straight booty cheeks now lol
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Lakers and Knicks were never big rivals. What's he talking about? Celtics are the Lakers big rival in the East