据知情人士透露，Walter 正寻求出售 WNBA 的洛杉矶火花队，这是他拆解体育球队版图的又一步骤。
Walter is looking to sell the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, taking another step in the dismantling of his sports-team empire, according to people familiar with the matter.
Walter 是资管公司 Guggenheim Partners 的联合创始人，今年早些时候已以 125 亿美元的估值将湖人队出售给 Joshua Kushner 和 Bob Iger，但 WNBA 球队仍由他持有。知情人士称，Kushner 和 Iger 后来曾讨论收购火花队，但他们并不在潜在买家之列。这些人士因谈判属私密性质，要求不具名。
Walter, a co-founder of money management firm Guggenheim Partners, sold the Lakers earlier this year at a $12.5 billion valuation to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger, but the WNBA team had remained under his ownership. Kushner and Iger later discussed acquiring the Sparks, but they are not among potential buyers, said the people, who asked to not be identified because the talks are private.
Sportico 给火花队的估值为 4 亿美元。其中一位知情人士表示，Walter 寻求以超过 7 亿美元的价格出售该特许经营权及一座相关训练设施；该人士未获授权讨论私下交易细节。这座耗资 1.5 亿美元建设的训练设施计划在 2027 赛季开始前启用。该特许经营队在 Crypto.com Arena 进行主场比赛。
Sportico values the team at $400 million. Walter is looking to sell the franchise and a related practice facility for more than $700 million, said one of the people, who wasn’t authorized to speak discussing private dealings. The practice facility, which was constructed for $150 million, is scheduled to open before the start of the 2027 season. The franchise plays in the Crypto.com Arena.
若成交，这将是 WNBA 历史上规模最大的特许经营权交易，远超现有纪录。目前的纪录由休斯敦火箭队老板 Tilman Fertitta 保持，他以 3 亿美元收购了康涅狄格太阳队，并正在推动将该特许经营权迁往休斯敦。
Such a deal would be by far the largest WNBA franchise sale in history. The current record of $300 million is held by Tilman Fertitta, the owner of the Houston Rockets who bought the Connecticut Sun and is in the midst of moving the franchise to Houston.
Iger 和 Kushner 的发言人拒绝置评。Walter 的控股公司 TWG Global 的发言人未立即回应置评请求。
A spokesperson for Iger and Kushner declined to comment. A spokesperson for TWG Global, Walter’s holding company, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
联邦检察官一直在调查 Walter 旗下保险公司的交易，这促使他重组资产，并在多个领域引发交易谈判，包括其体育特许经营权。在出售湖人队后，他将所持切尔西足球俱乐部股份出售给 Clearlake Capital。Walter 的其他体育资产还包括洛杉矶道奇队、凯迪拉克 F1 车队和职业女子冰球联盟。
Federal prosecutors have been probing dealings at Walter’s insurance firms, prompting him to reshape his holdings and stirring up deal talks on multiple fronts, including his sports franchises. After selling the Lakers, he sold his stake in Chelsea FC to Clearlake Capital. Walter’s other sports holdings include the LA Dodgers, the Cadillac F1 team and the Professional Women’s Hockey League.
道奇队总裁 Stan Kasten 8 月曾对媒体表示，该队并非待售。“完全没有启动任何出售程序，毫无此事，”他说。
Dodgers President Stan Kasten told outlets in August that the team isn’t for sale. “There’s no process that has been started to sell it, period,” he said.
火花队在WNBA常规赛中以16胜28负的战绩收官，已连续六个赛季无缘季后赛。火花队是WNBA于1997年成立时的八支创始球队之一。
The Sparks finished 16-28 during the WNBA season and have missed the playoffs for six straight seasons. The Sparks were one of the original eight teams when the WNBA was founded in 1997.