When Mark Walter acquired majority control of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025, the focus was on the sale itself: a record valuation and the close of a decades-long chapter under the Buss family.
Walter’s track record, which he brought with him from the Los Angeles Dodgers, was not as discussed.
Over the last decade, Walter helped transform the Dodgers into a global sports brand through international star power, media exposure and corporate partnerships. That strategy has been particularly successful in Japan, where the Dodgers’ growing popularity has attracted a wave of sponsorship deals from Japanese companies.
Signs of that approach are now emerging within the Lakers organization.
The Lakers Added Daiso as Their Newest Partner
Earlier this month, the Lakers announced a multiyear partnership with Japanese retailer Daiso. This marks the latest business connection between a Los Angeles sports franchise and a Japanese company.
The Daiso logo will appear on Laker Girls uniforms during regular-season games, making it the presenting sponsor of the dance team.
This is the first time that a branded patch will be featured on the dance team’s outfits. Daiso will also serve as the presenting sponsor of Laker Girls auditions and will be featured in Junior Lakers Dancers clinics.
The agreement follows a similar partnership between Daiso and the Dodgers from 2024.
“We are thrilled to welcome Daiso to the Los Angeles Lakers family with an innovative partnership that connects the retailer to the Laker Girls,” said Los Angeles Lakers President of Business Operations Lon Rosen in a press release.
For Daiso, the agreement is part of the company’s effort to expand its global presence.
“Daiso aims to be a global lifestyle infrastructure that enriches lives around the world. We are incredibly honored to partner with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Laker Girls,” said Daiso Board Member Taku Suzuki in the same press release.
The Daiso agreement is not the Lakers’ first partnership with an Asian company. From 2021 to 2026, the team’s jersey patch was sponsored by South Korean food company Bibigo. Before that, e-commerce company Wish held the patch from 2017 to 2021.
The Daiso deal continues the Lakers’ history of partnering with overseas brands looking to grow in the U.S. market.
The Dodgers Built the Playbook Walter Is Following
The connection between the Lakers and Dodgers extends beyond geography.
Both organizations share ownership under Walter. They also share Lakers President of Business Operations Lon Rosen, who doubles as the Dodgers’ executive vice president and chief marketing officer.
When Rosen joined the Lakers, he emphasized bringing successful business practices from the Dodgers organization. As the Dodgers have expanded relationships with Japanese sponsors, similar partnerships have begun to emerge on the Lakers’ side.
Since signing Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki, the Dodgers have seen a surge of attention from Japanese media, fans and corporate partners. Brands seeking access to both American consumers and Japanese baseball audiences have increasingly turned to the Dodgers as a marketing platform.
The organization has responded by building one of the most internationally diverse sponsorship portfolios in professional sports.
Japanese Sponsorships Are Paying Off for the Dodgers
The growing number of Japanese sponsorships has also delivered significant financial benefits for Los Angeles sports organizations.
Last season, SponsorUnited projected the Dodgers to surpass $200 million in sponsorship revenue. Twenty Japanese brands were among the team’s 76 corporate partners.
The increase has coincided with growing interest from Japanese audiences. The Dodgers exceeded 4 million in attendance last season. They also attracted record television audiences in Japan during their World Series run.
That influence grew even more visible in March 2026 when UNIQLO secured naming rights to Dodger Stadium. The venue is now UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium.
The agreement was notable not only because of its size, but because it represented one of the most visible examples of a Japanese company investing heavily in a U.S. sports property. Naming-rights deals place a brand at the center of broadcasts, digital content and fan experiences year-round.
The Lakers Could Be Next to Benefit
The Daiso partnership alone does not signal a major shift in the Lakers’ business strategy.
Viewed alongside the Dodgers’ success with Japanese sponsors, the deal may signal where the Lakers are heading under Walter.
For the Dodgers, partnerships with Japanese companies have become an increasingly important part of the organization’s international growth strategy, creating new revenue opportunities while strengthening connections to overseas audiences. The Lakers already possess one of the most recognizable brands in global sports, giving the franchise a similar platform for attracting international partners.
As companies continue to search for ways to reach American consumers through sports, Los Angeles franchises remain particularly attractive due to their visibility, market size and global fan bases.
Whether the Daiso agreement is an isolated deal or the start of a larger trend remains unclear. But the blueprint that transformed the Dodgers into a global brand is now being followed by the Lakers.
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