NBA and WNBA team owners worth $12.5 billion announce they are divorcing
NBA and WNBA team owners worth $12.5 billion announce they are divorcing
David SchneidmanSat, August 1, 2026 at 7:05 PM UTC
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Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai announced their divorce after 30 years of marriage -Credit:Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
The billionaire couple who own both the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and WNBA’s New York Liberty are divorcing after 30 years of marriage.
Nets and Liberty owners Joe and Clara Wu Tsai announced their split this week, and while they will not remain together as a couple, the professional sports franchises they oversee will not be impacted by the decision going forward.
It comes as another prominent WNBA figure filed for divorce from their partner this week, stating her marriage was ‘irretrievably broken.’
A family spokesperson for the Tsais issued a statement to the New York Post on July 31 detailing the decision.
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“Clara Wu Tsai and Joe Tsai have decided to end their marriage, a decision they came to mutually and with great respect for one another,” the statement read.
“Over the years, their relationship evolved into more of a partnership, one of running their businesses and raising their children together. While they have grown apart, their divorce is amicable and their relationship remains a strong, professional partnership.”
“Joe will remain Chairman and Clara will remain Vice Chair of Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment. Joe will remain Governor of the Brooklyn Nets and Clara will remain Governor of the New York Liberty," the statement continued.
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Joe, 62, and Clara, 60, are estimated to be worth up to $12.5 billion. Joe is the co-founder and chairman of Chinese technology company Alibaba Group and purchased a majority stake in the Nets from Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov in Aug. 2019 for $2.35 billion.
The Liberty won the 2024 WNBA title under the Tsai's ownership -Credit:Photo by Brian Babineau /NBAE via Getty Images
In addition to owning the Nets, Tsai is the chairman of the Barclays Center, where both the Nets and Liberty play their home games, as well as the San Diego Seals and Las Vegas Desert Dogs in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). In college, Tsai played for the varsity lacrosse team at Yale University.
Clara, who was born in Lawrence, Kansas, and later attended Stanford University and Harvard University, is the acting owner of the Liberty and holds a close relationship with star players Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones.
The couple has also been known for their philanthropic efforts and donated roughly $500 million to causes spanning medical research, social justice, and arts and culture.
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The statement issued to the New York Post included that they plan to involve their children in their business enterprises in the future. The couple has three children together, daughter Alex and sons Dash and Jacob.
Under the Tsai’s ownership, the Liberty have become one of the most dominant teams in the WNBA and won their first title in franchise history in 2024.
Meanwhile, the Nets have struggled to break into the upper echelon of the NBA despite signing superstars Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden to the same team during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
The franchise has failed to win more than 32 games in each of the last three seasons.
Source: “AOL Sports”
