Bob Iger, Josh Kushner Buys LA Lakers for $12.5B & The FAA is Run by Gamers
August 13, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readThe LA Lakers are being sold for a reported $12.5 billion to a group led by former Disney CEO Bob Iger and venture capitalist Josh Kushner, a deal that has stunned the NBA because the current owner, Mark Walter, bought the franchise just 14 months ago for a then-record $10 billion. Selling a professional sports team this quickly is almost unheard of, and the circumstances surrounding the sale suggest something unusual is happening beneath the surface. Elsewhere, the latest inflation report came in exactly as expected, giving the Federal Reserve room to hold off on a rate hike in September, while Roku has launched a 24/7 channel of AI-generated content that critics are calling "categorically catastrophically awful."
The Lakers Sale That Shocked the NBA
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What you'll learn
- 1 (02:25) **Bob Iger & Josh Kushner Buy LA Lakers for $12.5B** - A bombshell sale of the controlling interest in the LA Lakers, valuing the franchise at a record $12.5 billion.
- 2 (08:32) **Inflation Report: Cooling but Still Painful** - July's CPI showed annual inflation cooling to 3.4%, matching projections and giving the Fed wiggle room to pause rate hikes.
- 3 (12:25) **Roku Launches 24/7 AI-Generated Content Channel** - Roku’s new "Fairground AI Creator TV" plays a loop of AI-generated shows, drawing harsh reviews but fitting a low-cost strategy.
- 4 (19:06) **Neil's Numbers: Private Equity's Unsold Inventory Crisis** - Private equity firms are holding a record number of unsold companies, stuck with assets they can't sell or take public.
- 5 (20:58) **Neil's Numbers: The American Travel Boom** - A record number of Americans now have passports and are traveling to Europe at unprecedented rates.
- 6 (23:14) **Neil's Numbers: FAA Hires Gamers to Fix Air Traffic Controller Shortage** - The FAA has hired over 2,000 new air traffic controllers in a single year by specifically recruiting video gamers.
- 7 (24:39) **Final Headlines: Count Binface vs. Nigel Farage** - In a UK parliamentary election, a comedian in a trash can costume named Count Binface is the main challenger to populist leader Nigel Farage.
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Show Notes
#910: The Los Angeles Lakers are sold for $12 billion to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger. July’s inflation report comes in just as expected. Roku has a 24/7 AI slop channel. Private equity is stuck with over 33,000 unsold businesses. Americans are traveling more than ever and they love traveling to Europe. The FAA nears a hiring goal thanks to a focus towards recruiting gamers. Finally, Count Binface captures the headlines in Britain’s upcoming election.
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