For months, one question has lingered over the Dodgers.
With team owner Mark Walter facing a federal investigation into his business empire, and having unexpectedly sold his stakes in the Lakers and Chelsea Football Club this summer, would the billionaire businessman consider selling the Dodgers next?
On Tuesday, in an exclusive interview with the California Post, Walter offered a definitive answer.
“We’re going to keep the team no matter what,” he said. “We’re going to be winning for 10 years or more. I think our commitment to do so will be just like it has been in the past. And, you know, we don’t win every year, but we’re going to try to.”
In other words, just as everyone from team president Stan Kasten to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has repeatedly reiterated in recent months, Walter plans on things being business as usual for his iconic baseball franchise.
“I certainly hope we can look forward to winning another World Series next year under my ownership,” he said. “And I think we’re just trying to win consistently, and do so for not just next season, but for the next decade and decades beyond that.”
The team has spent the last couple of months spewing the same sentiment. But those words coming out of Walter’s mouth is notable.
His comments came amid continued speculation surrounding the 66-year-old and his status as the team’s owner and chairman.
Last year, the Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission began investigating potentially fraudulent loans made from insurance companies under his control to other businesses he owns.
Weeks after that probe became public in July, he stunningly sold the Lakers to venture capitalist Josh Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger at a $12.5 billion valuation –– flipping the franchise barely a year after he had acquired a majority stake in it from the Buss family at a $10 billion valuation.
Later in August, he also began a process with his business partner, Todd Boehly (another member of the Walter-led Guggenheim Baseball Management group that owns the Dodgers), to sell their stakes in Chelsea FC of the English Premier League.
Those moves came amid reports that Walter’s Guggenheim Partners investment firm was trying to raise capital for its insurance operations, and rectify the so-called “affiliated” loans that had drawn the scrutiny of federal investigators and state regulators.
Walter’s holding company, TWG Global, released a statement in late August denying all wrongdoing and reaffirming Walter’s plans to retain ownership of the Dodgers.
Still, doubts remained about whether his role with the team would indeed remain unaffected.
On Tuesday, while speaking with the Post in a call that also included Friedman, Walter for the first time publicly stated his intention to not only continue owning the Dodgers, but supporting them with the same level of financial resources that have allowed them to set MLB payroll records each of the last two seasons.
“We don’t see any glaring weaknesses that demand our attention, but there’s always room to get better,” he said of the club’s approach this offseason, following an unsuccessful World Series three-peat bid that ended in a sweep to the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series this month.
“We’ll explore every avenue we can to make this team stronger,” he added.
Walter declined to address the federal investigation into his insurance companies, saying it was “not appropriate for me to comment while the investigation is ongoing.”
However, he was adamant that the sale of the Lakers had “nothing to do with the Dodgers at all,” and that he wasn’t actively shopping the basketball team until Kushner approached him with a record-setting offer that he agreed to within 72 hours.
Walter also declined to comment on recent reporting from Bloomberg that he is looking to sell the WNBA’s Sparks, but again reiterated that it will have no bearing on his Dodgers’ ownership status.
As one of MLB’s 30 principal owners, Walter will have involvement in the league’s ongoing negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement; which are taking place amid a messy labor fight with the MLB Players’ Association that is likely to lead to a lockout this offseason and could threaten the beginning of the 2027 campaign.
While the league has already begun to push for a salary cap, Walter declined to address his stance on the issue.
What he was confident in was that, regardless of any new (and potentially stricter) spending rules a new CBA might entail, the Dodgers should be well-positioned to continue the run of dominance they have enjoyed as three-time World Series champions, five-time National League pennant winners, and 13-time NL West champions during his 15-year tenure as owner.
“It’s not just spending,” he said. “Our farm system is pretty strong, and that and player development are really big things for us. So I think on any playing field, we’ll still be among the elite teams.”
Friedman echoed that sentiment, pointing to the Dodgers’ organizational track record of success under Walter’s ownership.
“At every turn since I’ve been with the Dodgers, the financial backing and aggressiveness [from Walter] has been seemingly unmatched,” Friedman said, adding: “I think all of us being in lockstep on that has contributed to the success we’ve had looking back, and I think keeps us well-positioned for future success.”
Despite the uncertainties that have surrounded him this year, Walter was insistent that future would continue to feature him as the Dodgers’ owner.
“I really hope that the fans feel how much we appreciate them, because we’re all fans too,” he said. “And this [year] was a kind of bad end to the season for us. But you’ve got to look at how we’ve done every year and really realize they’re gonna come back and support us again next year, because we’re going to be out there fighting again for a World Series.”
