Dodgers Executive 'Beyond Grateful' to Join Lakers Front Office

Dec 27, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Chief marketing officer Lon Rosen, President and CEO Stan Kasten, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18), translator Mako Allbee and manager Dave Roberts walk across the field for an introductory press conference at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Longstanding synergy between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Lakers has reached a new level since Mark Walter purchsed the storied NBA franchise from Jeanie Buss.

The Lakers have won 17 championships, second-most to only the Boston Celtics, but recent seasons have been marred by underperformances and ineffective decision-making by ownership and the front office.

Although Walter was voted by league owners to take control Lakers, he agreed to keep Buss on in her current role as governor of the team for multiple seasons. Rob Pelinka also remains Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager.

Meanwhile, Dodgers of president baseball operations Andrew Friedman and special advisor Farhan Zaidi took on unoffiical roles with the Lakers. Pelinka recently touted Friedman as a valuable sounding board as the Lakers look to mirror success the Dodgers have enjoyed under the Guggenheim Baseball Management ownership group.

 Lon Rosen replaces Tim Harris in Lakers front office

Now there is more crossover between the organizations, as the Lakers announced the hiring of Lon Rosen to their president of business operations role.

“For many years, I have seen the impact that Lon has had in our industry. Over that time, I have learned that not only is Lon a great person, but he also has a deep understanding of both sports and entertainment and a true feel for where this business is headed,” Buss said in a statement. 

Rosen had been the executive vice president and chief marketing officer for the Dodgers since 2012. During Rosen's tenure with the Dodgers, the franchise increased revenue each year and have led MLB in attendance since 2013.

Rosen is plenty familiar with the Lakers organization, which is where his professional career began as an intern. Rosen became an executive in the Lakers front office during the 1980s before embarking on a career as a sports agent, most notably representing Magic Johnson.

“I’m beyond grateful to Jeanie and Mark for trusting me with this incredible opportunity,” Rosen said. “As everyone knows, the economics of the sports business are constantly changing – and they will continue to do so. 

“But, at root, my job is a simple one: figuring out how to do right by our employees and our partners while ensuring that the Lakers continue to provide an unparalleled experience for our fans in Los Angeles and around the world. I look forward to working alongside Jeanie, Rob and the whole front-office team to make that happen.” 

Now back with the Lakers, Rosen is replacing Tim Harris following his more than three decades with the organization. Harris notified the team in an email this week that he planned to step down from his president of business operations role with the Lakers.

 “Finding someone who could fill Tim’s shoes overseeing the business side of our organization would never be easy,” said Buss. “The answer, we soon realized, was someone both Mark and I knew well – and who already understood the values, culture and commitment to excellence of both the Dodgers and the Lakers.” 

Just four months into Walter's Lakers ownership, the franchise has now parted with multiple scouts in addition to Joey and Jesse Buss, and seen their longtime business operations president replaced.