Nets Owner Clara Wu Tsai Talks Nets Valuation, Barclays Center

Clara Wu Tsai, an owner of the Brooklyn Nets and the governor of the New York Liberty, provided an update on the former's valuation while speaking at the 2025 Forbes Iconoclast Summit.

Wu Tsai was bullish on the Nets’ value: “The NBA is a fantastic asset — as blue chip as it gets — and I think you hold it because it’s scarce, it’s premium and there’s definitely going to be steady franchise upside. From $2 [billion] to $6 [billion] to ‘we don’t know what we’re going to see.’” 

An NBA team is worth $4.66 billion on average. The Nets were valued at $5.6 billion by CNBC earlier this year and ranked as the NBA’s sixth most valuable team. That ranking was based on arenas, revenue and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). Sources include “team owners, investors and executives; sports bankers and league consultants; public documents [...]; stadium authority budgets and audits, and credit rating reports; and sponsorship and broadcasting industry executives.” 

Joe Tsai, Wu Tsai’s husband, became the Nets’ principal owner in 2019. He is the team’s governor. His wife takes on the equivalent role for the WNBA’s New York Liberty. 

The Nets do not own Barclays Center (it is owned by Empire State Development), but the team controls the arena’s lease and economics. This is valuable for the Nets and the Liberty, as CNBC senior sports reporter Michael Ozanian previously told Nets On SI.

“If I’m a sponsor and I’m going to be sponsoring with the Nets, but I also know that the arena is going to be filled with home games for the Liberty, and I’m going to be getting those nights packed with fans and also that demographic, I’m probably willing to pay more for my sponsorship,” he said. 

Wu Tsai mentioned that the NBA, WNBA and Barclays Center would remain her “core assets” going forward. With the WNBA, she argued that the revenue is yet to catch up to the growing viewership. The Liberty are the reigning WNBA champions. Wu Tsai also stressed how vital Barclays is.

“It not only lets us take advantage of the demand in live entertainment, but it also lets us control our full fan experience, and it’s the anchor for everything that we do in the community,” she said.

Joe Tsai previously highlighted Barclays’ importance as well. His comments came during CNBC’s ‘CONVERGE’ thought leadership event. 

Tsai said: “Most nights, we have concerts. We’re generating revenue from renting out the space to artists, and that’s a great business. In fact, Barclays Center in the last year is considered, according to the objective metrics, one of the top three [or] four venues in the world [...] in terms of concerts.” 

BSE Global, the Nets' parent company, recently announced details on the second phase of the five-year, $100+ million to "enhance the guest experience" at the arena. The renovations will include a new premium membership club and a new fan zone.