Liberty Front Office Visits Harvard Business School

Originally posted on New York Liberty on SI
By Kenny Saint-Vil | Last updated Dec 19, 2025 8:32 AM ET

This week, the New York Liberty front office brought the business of women’s basketball into the classroom at Harvard Business School, offering students an inside look at how intentional leadership and long-term investment can transform a professional sports organization. Liberty Governor Clara Wu Tsai, CEO Keia Clarke, and General Manager Jonathan Kolb joined Harvard Business School faculty and students to discuss The New York Liberty: Building the Business of Women’s Basketball, a case study that explores the franchise’s rise to the top of the WNBA.

The discussion focused on how ownership vision, executive leadership and brand-building helped elevate the Liberty on and off the court, while positioning the franchise for long-term success.

Inside the Harvard Case Study

The 27-page case study was authored by Anita Elberse, a Harvard Business School professor and globally recognized expert on the business of entertainment, media, and sports, in collaboration with Mackenzi Curtin. Released over the summer, the case provides an in-depth look at the Liberty’s transformation following the 2019 purchase of the team by Clara Wu Tsai and her husband, Joe Tsai.

View this post on Instagram

Building Infrastructure and Community

Earlier this year, the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center opened directly across the street from Barclays Center, creating a year-round hub for basketball development and community engagement. Looking ahead, the Liberty are set to open a state-of-the-art, dedicated practice facility in Greenpoint, Brooklyn in 2027. It will be one of the most advanced facilities in women’s professional sports. These investments reflect a broader strategy: building an ecosystem around the team that supports elite performance while embedding the franchise deeply within the local community.

Leading the Growth of the WNBA

As a founding WNBA franchise, the New York Liberty have long been part of the league’s history. Today, they are also one of its clearest leaders - setting the standard for investment, infrastructure, and ambition. By sharing their journey at Harvard Business School, the Liberty front office underscored a powerful message: when women’s sports are backed by vision and resources, the returns - competitive, cultural, and commercial - can be extraordinary.

The New York Liberty: Building the Business of Women’s Basketball

This article first appeared on New York Liberty on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: