Sport-More, more, more: Lakers deal is the latest in sports gold rush

NEW YORK, Aug 13 : The blockbuster sale of the Los Angeles Lakers this week keeps alive a sports gold rush among North America's billionaire elite, with pricey media rights, skyrocketing attendance and insatiable fans helping drive prices sky-high. Venture capitalist Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger are set to purchase the team, with the deal valued at a record $12.5 billion and pending approval from the National Basketball Association's Board of Governors.The deal, shocking for both its price tag and timing, comes just 14 months after Mark Walter purchased a majority stake in the team in a deal that valued it at a then-record $10 billion.The 25 per cent jump in the Lakers' valuation in just over a year sets a fresh benchmark for other team owners weighing what their franchise