On the evening of October 10, in a quiet corner of the Venetian Macao Hotel, Joseph Tsai—Alibaba co-founder, chairman, and owner of the Brooklyn Nets—was warmly engaging with founders and executives from over 20 Chinese brands. These brands, including Molly Tea, Li-Ning, Hsu Fu Chi, Huayuan Foods, Fanttik, and Chuangfeng Group, are all partners of the Nets.
Dressed in a relaxed manner, Tsai greeted attendees with humble smiles and slight bows, occasionally embracing close friends with visible excitement. Known affectionately as "Joe" among peers, Tsai’s presence set the tone for the evening.
The venue was adorned with basketball-themed decor—posters, jerseys, and muted screens showcasing a documentary about Brooklyn8, the first all-Chinese NBA cheerleading squad Tsai spearheaded. Nearby, eight young women from the squad mingled with guests, embodying the project Tsai had prioritized over the past year.
Under Tsai’s ownership, the Nets have become a pivotal platform for Chinese brands expanding globally. Partner brands have surged fivefold, spanning sectors like beverages, food, hardware, and more. This growth has propelled the Nets’ valuation to $6.22 billion as of October 2025, a 9.1% year-on-year increase, ranking sixth in the NBA despite missing the playoffs.
That night, Tsai had ample reason to celebrate: a sold-out NBA China game in Macao, the debut of Brooklyn8, and the presence of Alibaba co-founders like Jack Ma and celebrities like Jackie Chan and David Beckham.
Yet, business remained central. Tsai pitched the Nets’ media exposure potential to brands, highlighting its China-focused team and tailored services. Beyond commerce, he shared personal stories—his basketball philanthropy, drafting Chinese prospect Zeng Fanbo, and his vision for the Nets.
His humor shone when Molly Tea’s founder sought advice. After emphasizing product quality, Tsai quipped, "Marketing matters too—like partnering with the Nets."
**A Bridgehead in New York** The Nets’ Barclays Center has emerged as a cultural hub for Chinese brands. During Lunar New Year 2025, it hosted a food festival featuring Chinese brands, later showcasing Molly Tea on arena signage. Similarly, tool brand Fanttik gained visibility through ads, surprising fans who mistook it for a fitness label.
These efforts reflect a broader strategy: 15 months saw a fivefold rise in Chinese partners, with 20+ brands in talks, including beverage and apparel leaders.
Tsai delegates operations to CEO Sam Zussman but steers big ideas, like Brooklyn8. Sunshine Rogers, VP of Global Partnerships, leads a seven-member China team, offering customized solutions—transparent ad metrics and third-party performance reports—addressing brands’ pain points with NBA partnerships.
**Leveraging Brooklyn’s Diversity** Barclays Center’s location in multicultural Brooklyn—a trendsetting hotspot with high immigrant density—makes it ideal for brand testing. Its 180+ annual events and $120M+ ancillary revenue in 2024 amplify reach, particularly among Chinese students and young trendsetters.
Brands value the Nets’ ability to engage these groups, seeing them as catalysts for broader appeal, especially among Latino and African American communities. Post-China game, Tsai plans a Barclays tour for partners, signaling deeper collaboration ahead.
**Challenges and the Next "Yao Ming"** Despite success, the Nets lack a Chinese superstar to replicate Yao Ming’s impact. With rising talent like Yang Hansen facing hurdles, Tsai’s basketball fund is intensifying youth training in the U.S., hinting at his next ambition: a homegrown icon to complement Brooklyn8.
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