Thousands more people gathered outside the Staples Center, home of the LA Lakers basketball team.

BBC: Newsbeat - Entertainment - Jackson fans say their goodbyes

Others include Cuban, LA Lakers Philip Anschutz, and Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT) co-founder Paul Allen, who owns the Portland Trailblazers.

FORBES: NBA Approves Sale of Nets to Russian Billionaire

Bryant led the LA Lakers to the NBA finals this season, while James scorched the league's defences, scoring 30 points per game.

BBC: Bryant and James named in US team

He owns soccer, ice-hockey and basketball teams including the LA Lakers, as well as thousands of cinemas, and it's believed Qwest will be at the forefront of the move to distribute films via satellite.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Profile: Tycoon Philip Anschutz

Jack Nicholson, recently rated the No. 1 fan for his rabid following of the LA Lakers by t he Bleacher Report, is to Spike Lee and the NY Knicks what Courtney Cox and the Lakers is to Carrie Underwood and the Dallas Cowboys.

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Otherwise, you can check out the battle for LA between the Lakers and Clippers on INHD or see the PGA's best go at it in the Grand Slam of Golf on TNT tonight.

ENGADGET: HDTV Listings for November 21, 2006 HD

The networks will be the new exclusive local homes of the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Galaxy and Los Angeles Sparks, as well as cover Mountain West football and basketball, in addition to soccer and boxing programming on Time Warner Cable Deportes.

FORBES: Time Warner Cable Launches Two Regional Sports Networks, Lakers Reap $4 Billion