Joe Tsai

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Tsai was born in Taipei, Taiwan, to Paul C. Tsai and Ruby Tsai. He has three younger siblings. At age 13, he was sent to the U.S. to attend the Lawrenceville School, where he played lacrosse and football. He earned a B.A. in economics and East Asian studies from Yale University in 1986 and a J.D. from Yale Law School in 1990. He became a tax associate at Sullivan & Cromwell, then joined Rosecliff, Inc., and later Investor AB. In 1999, he met Jack Ma and joined Alibaba's founding team. He became chairman of Alibaba in 2023. Tsai's net worth in 2022 was estimated at US$8.1 billion; in 2025, he was ranked #8 on Forbes list of Hong Kong's 50 Richest with an estimated net worth of $11.8 billion.

In Their Own Story

The acquisition of the Brooklyn Nets was not a single event but a calculated sequence. It started in October 2017 when Tsai purchased a 49% stake from Mikhail Prokhorov, a deal that valued the franchise at $2.3 billion. This purchase came with an option to buy the remaining stake no later than 2021. In August 2019, Tsai exercised this option, completing his full ownership while also securing the Barclays Center in a separate transaction for nearly $1 billion. His tenure saw immediate expansion; in June 2024, he sold a 15% stake to Julia Koch, establishing a valuation of $6 billion for BSE Global's sports holdings. Later that year, in December 2024, he diversified further by purchasing a 3% stake in the Miami Dolphins. By May 2025, he facilitated the sale of a minority stake in the New York Liberty, setting a record valuation of $450 million for a women's sports franchise.

Reader's Guide

In September 2019, Tsai became owner of the Brooklyn Nets and chairman of Barclays Center. He initially purchased a 49% stake in the Nets in October 2017, with an option to buy the remaining stake by 2021. He exercised that option in August 2019 and bought the Nets' arena from Mikhail Prokhorov. Tsai's ownership includes the Long Island Nets and Nets Gaming Crew. In January 2019, he headed a group that bought the New York Liberty. In 2024, he sold 15% of BSE Global to Julia Koch. In 2025, he remained BSE chairman and Nets governor. Tsai is owner of the San Diego Seals and co-owner of the Las Vegas Desert Dogs. He is chairman of J Tsai Sports with investments in the Premier Lacrosse League. He is an investor in Los Angeles FC. In June 2024, he sold a 15% minority stake in BSE Global. In December 2024, he purchased a 3% stake in the Miami Dolphins. In May 2025, he facilitated the sale of a minority stake in the New York Liberty.

Did You Know?

• Tsai co-owns the Las Vegas Desert Dogs lacrosse team with Wayne Gretzky, Dustin Johnson, and Steve Nash.
• Tsai played varsity lacrosse at Yale University.