Bob Iger is said to be eyeing a new Magic Kingdom in Las Vegas — an NBA franchise.
The former Disney boss — and Thrive Capital founder Josh Kushner, brother of President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner — have enlisted bankers as they weigh a push for a majority stake in a potential Las Vegas enlargement staff, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing people acquainted with the non-public talks.
No bid price has been disclosed, and the NBA has not yet authorized a Las Vegas franchise.
The attainable play would run through Thrive Eternal, Kushner’s new long-term investment vehicle aimed at shopping for stakes in sports activities groups, cultural manufacturers and other belongings constructed to outlast the tech cycle, according to the report.
Former Disney CEO Bob Iger (second from left) and Thrive Capital founder Josh Kushner (far left) are reportedly exploring a bid for an NBA enlargement franchise in Las Vegas. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
Iger rejoined Thrive as an adviser after stepping down as CEO of Disney in March.
The reported pursuit would mark another high-profile possession bid in what has rapidly become a crowded race for one of the most coveted prizes in skilled sports activities possession.
The NBA’s Board of Governors voted in March to formally examine enlargement in Las Vegas and Seattle, with Commissioner Adam Silver saying the league hopes to decide by the finish of the yr whether to add one franchise, two franchises or none at all.
After stepping down as Disney CEO, Bob Iger is reportedly eyeing an NBA franchise in Las Vegas. REUTERS
Las Vegas has long been considered as the main contender after evolving into one of the NBA’s showcase locations.
The metropolis hosts the league’s annual Summer League, staged the NBA Cup’s semifinal and championship video games and already has an NBA-ready venue in T-Mobile Arena.
The Iger-Kushner staff would face stiff competitors.
Vegas Golden Knights proprietor Bill Foley unveiled his own enlargement effort earlier this month, proposing to base a franchise at T-Mobile Arena.
Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson has also been linked to a separate possession group exploring a Las Vegas bid.
LeBron James, who for years publicly expressed curiosity in proudly owning an NBA staff in Las Vegas, poured cold water on hypothesis about his curiosity earlier this yr, saying he was not pursuing an possession bid.
Josh Kushner has a web value exceeding $5 billion, according to Forbes. Getty Images
For Iger, the effort would characterize his newest transfer into sports activities investing after ending his second stint atop Disney in March.
The longtime leisure govt helped rework Disney into a media powerhouse through acquisitions including Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and most of twenty first Century Fox, while overseeing ESPN’s decades-long relationship with the NBA.
Away from Disney, Iger and his spouse, Willow Bay, acquired a controlling stake in the National Women’s Soccer League’s Angel City FC.
His relationship with Kushner has also deepened in latest years.
Iger first joined Thrive Capital as a enterprise companion after retiring from Disney in 2022. He famously came back to Disney’s board when it recruited him to exchange Bob Chapek later that yr.
Although he returned to Disney, Iger remained an investor in Thrive after becoming a member of a syndicate that bought a minority stake in the enterprise capital firm in 2023.
His return this spring coincided with the launch of a new arm called Thrive Eternal. Its first announced investment was a minority stake in Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants.
Last yr, Thrive Capital quietly purchased a small stake in the NBA’s Miami Heat.
Kushner has constructed Thrive into one of Silicon Valley’s most influential investment companies through early bets on corporations including Instagram and OpenAI, while more and more increasing beyond conventional enterprise investing into sports activities and leisure.
Thrive declined to remark. The Post has sought remark from Iger and the NBA.