Lakers add another Dodgers executive to front office

With the Lakers continuing to reshape their business structure under majority stakeholder Mark Walter, the organization made another front office hire that further reinforces a Dodgers-to-Lakers pipeline.

On Wednesday morning, the Lakers announced the hiring of Michael Spetner as Chief Strategy & Growth Officer — a newly created role that will report to President of Business Operations Lon Rosen, who was named to his position Feb. 19.

Spetner’s arrival comes just two weeks after Rosen’s appointment, marking another move that aligns the Lakers’ business operations with executives who previously worked under Walter with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In his new role, Spetner will lead the franchise’s long-term business strategy, focusing on enterprise value and identifying international growth opportunities.

“As we look to redefine what’s possible across the sports landscape for fans and partners, we will build on the Lakers legacy and orient toward the future to consider what’s next,” Rosen said in a statement. “Michael’s leadership will help us optimize our business to ensure long-term value.”

Spetner spent the past decade with the Dodgers, serving as Vice President of Business Strategy & Analytics. 

During his tenure with the Dodgers, he helped expand commercial initiatives, introduce new business models, and modernize the fan experience through digital communities.

He also played a central role in the Dodgers’ international fanbase, launching a Japan-based fan club and leading the creation of an immersive, museum-style exhibition in Tokyo celebrating the franchise’s history.

The hire signals the Lakers’ intent to strengthen their off-court innovation and international footprint as the franchise enters a new era under Walter’s stewardship. We can see a similar approach to what the Dodgers do and have done with two-way superstar slugger Shohei Ohtani with Luka Dončić and his connection in Europe.