The divorce of Clara Wu Tsai and Joseph Tsai, owners of the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Liberty, ends nearly thirty years of marriage but does not affect their sports empire nor the role they have both built as among the most influential contemporary art collectors in the world. The news, initially reported by the New York Post and confirmed by a statement shared with multiple outlets, concerns one of the wealthiest and most visible couples in the landscape of sports, business, and art in the United States.
Key Points
- Clara Wu Tsai and Joseph Tsai are divorcing after nearly 30 years of marriage, celebrated in New York in 1996.
- The separation is described as amicable and does not alter the ownership stakes or roles in the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Liberty.
- Both remain at the helm of Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment: Joseph Tsai as president and governor of the Nets, Clara Wu Tsai as vice president and governor of the Liberty.
- The couple was included together in the Top 200 Collectors of ARTnews in 2018 and 2025.
- Their philanthropic commitment includes a $50 million donation in 2022 for David Geffen Hall and the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation, founded in 2014.
Clara Wu Tsai and Joseph Tsai: an amicable divorce after nearly 30 years
The separation between Clara Wu Tsai and Joseph Tsai comes after nearly three decades together and is presented as a shared, non-confrontational decision. The two were married in New York in 1996 and, according to the statement released to Sportico and Page Six, their relationship has progressively transformed “into a partnership, that of managing their businesses and raising their children together.” The couple has three children, now adults.
The marriage and the announcement of the separation
The divorce of Clara Wu Tsai and her husband was made public on Friday, with coordinated statements released to multiple U.S. media outlets. No details were provided on any legal proceedings or the division of their assets, including the more discreet branch of their business: the private art collection.
“A partnership,” not just a marriage: what the statement says
The statement describes the separation as amicable and emphasizes that the collaboration between the two will remain “solid” and “professional.” According to reports, the long-term plan also includes the progressive involvement of the three children in managing the family businesses, indicating that the entrepreneurial structure built together by the Tsai is designed to last beyond the marriage itself.
No changes in the leadership of Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty
The most relevant point for those following the two franchises is that nothing changes in the sports governance: the ownership stakes and operational roles remain identical to before the announcement. This is where the case interests not only the gossip columns but also investors, fans, and the world of professional sports in America.
The roles of Joseph Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai remain the same
Joseph Tsai will continue to be president of Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment (BSE) and governor of the Nets. Clara Wu Tsai will remain vice president of BSE and governor of the Liberty. The statement makes it clear without ambiguity: “They will continue to own and be stewards of the teams, with professional management already in place as has always been the case.” This passage is important because it clarifies, right from the start, that the divorce Clara Wu Tsai does not create uncertainty over the control of two franchises worth hundreds of millions of dollars and followed by thousands of fans and sponsors.
From Alibaba to Barclays Center: two lives, a sports empire
Joseph Tsai, co-founder and president of the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, currently lives in Hong Kong, while Clara Wu Tsai resides in the United States. The two, then minority shareholders of the Nets, had purchased the Liberty in January 2019 from James Dolan and Madison Square Garden Entertainment. By September of the same period, they had become 100% owners of the Nets, following an agreement with the then-controlling shareholder Mikhail Prokhorov. Under their leadership, the Liberty permanently moved to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, after several seasons in White Plains, and in 2024 they won the franchise’s first WNBA title.
The artistic and philanthropic heritage of the couple
Beyond sports, the name of the Tsai is deeply linked to the world of contemporary art and New York cultural philanthropy: an aspect that makes this story relevant not only for the art market but also for the sports market. Joseph Tsai art collection and shared artistic patronage with his wife have helped shape the cultural identity of two of America’s most followed sports arenas.
Contemporary art at the Barclays Center
In recent years, Clara Wu Tsai and Joseph Tsai have helped bring to the Barclays Center, home of the Nets and Liberty, works by artists such as Rashid Johnson, Tavares Strachan, and LaToya Ruby Frazier. In 2025, Frazier exhibited life-size portraits of Liberty players there, in her first public commission. Clara Wu Tsai had told Cultured that sports enthusiasts and art lovers share a common quest: both seek “some form of transcendence,” which is why bringing art into a sports context has always seemed natural to her. This integration between art and sports has a concrete impact on the market: it increases the public visibility of the artists involved and consolidates the cultural, and potentially commercial, value of their works displayed in front of a mass audience.
Million-dollar donations and the family foundation
The Tsai’s commitment extends to major cultural institutions in New York. In 2022, the couple donated $50 million for the renovation of David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, and supported exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum and the Museum of the City of New York. In 2018 and 2025, Clara Wu Tsai and Joseph Tsai were included together in the Top 200 Collectors of ARTnews, a recognition that certifies their weight in the contemporary art market. In 2014, they also established the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation, whose scope covers art, science, and social justice. The statement accompanying the divorce Clara Wu Tsai confirms that this post-divorce Tsai collaboration will continue, both on the sports front and on the philanthropic one: a detail that reassures cultural institutions and the teams themselves, which depend on the continuity of these funds and this shared leadership.
FAQ
Will Clara Wu Tsai and Joseph Tsai continue to perform their corporate roles after the divorce?
Yes. Joseph Tsai remains president of Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment and governor of the Nets, while Clara Wu Tsai remains vice president and governor of the Liberty.
Does the divorce affect the ownership of the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Liberty?
No. The ownership stakes and leadership roles of the couple in the teams and the parent company are not altered by the divorce.
What impact have the Tsai had in the art world?
They have supported contemporary artists and brought significant works by Rashid Johnson, Tavares Strachan, and LaToya Ruby Frazier to the Barclays Center, alongside other important philanthropic commitments.
Will the Tsai continue to collaborate after the divorce?
Yes. They plan to maintain collaboration in business activities and philanthropic endeavors despite the separation.
Content created with the assistance of artificial intelligence and human editorial review.
As expert in digital marketing, Amelia began working in the fintech sector in 2014 after writing her thesis on Bitcoin technology. Previously author for several international crypto-related magazines and CMO at Eidoo. She is now the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Cryptonomist and Econique.
She is also a marketing teacher at Digital Coach in Milan and she published a book about NFTs for the Italian publishing house Mondadori, while she is also helping artists and company to entering in the sector. As advisor, Amelia is also involved in metaverse-related project such as The Nemesis and OVER.
