NBA icon Magic Johnson has continued to make history well after his legendary basketball career ended due to his successful business ventures. The billionaire and Lakers legend is also tied to the Los Angeles sports community through owning the Los Angeles Dodgers and LA Sparks, along with other ventures. Johnson recently expressed his thoughts on how the WNBA’s new landscape impacts his investment in the Sparks.
Magic Johnson Admits WNBA’s Popularity Surge Helped His Initial Investment In League
Johnson discussed the WNBA’s surge in popularity and how that has helped him maximize his investment. While being interviewed, Johnson said, “We were losing money. We thought that someday it would change. It’s okay, we’re comfortable with the loss. And we didn’t know it was gonna turn around like this. From now on, the team is worth $300 million and growing right. We’re still blown away about the growth of the WNBA and where it’s going.”
Magic Johnson says buying the LA Sparks for a few million turned into a $300,000,000 WNBA franchise
“We were losing money. We thought that someday it would change. We weren’t losing a lot of money, but we’re comfortable with the loss. We didn’t know it was going to turn around… pic.twitter.com/NSdHazSpdz
— dank (@cptdankkk) June 19, 2026
Johnson became a part-owner of the Sparks in 2014 to help prevent the storied franchise from relocating. The Sparks’ previous owner, Paula Madison, said she lost over $10 million since purchasing the franchise, which meant ownership was no longer an option for her.
The reported losses were damaging to the WNBA, as the Sparks are one of the league’s historic franchises. They made three straight WNBA Finals appearances from 2001-2003, winning back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002. The franchise was led by MVPs Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, and Nneka Ogwumike over the years, yet the franchise and the entire league continued operating at a deficit.
As Johnson points out, things are much different now, as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and other stars brought their fans from college over to the professional ranks. As a result, the WNBA was able to secure a historic $3.1 billion media rights deal over the next decade with broadcast partners Disney, NBC Universal, Paramount, Amazon Prime Video and Scripps.
Players are making more money, team valuations are rising, and investors like Johnson are now reaping the rewards. The next step for Johnson is helping the Sparks regain their status in the league.
The Sparks have missed the playoffs for five straight seasons and are currently on the bubble with a 7-8 record so far this season. Ogwumike is back to potentially finish her career where it started, and guard Kelsey Plum is one of the league’s best players.
However, forward Cameron Brink, who entered the WNBA with a fan base and notoriety, has yet to reach the level of stardom as her peers Clark and Reese. If the Sparks can become one of the WNBA’s top franchises again, Johnson will have even more reasons to celebrate.
