New York Liberty Achieve Record-Breaking Valuation, Marking a New Era for Women’s Sports.
The New York Liberty, one of the eight original franchises of the WNBA since its founding in 1997, have not only made history on the court by winning their first-ever WNBA championship in 2024 but are now making headlines off the court with a landmark business deal.
Team owners Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai recently sold a minority stake in the Liberty. While the exact amount of the sale remains undisclosed, sources report the stake to be worth in the “mid-teens” of millions. This transaction values the Liberty at an astonishing $450 million—the highest-ever valuation for a women’s professional sports franchise.
The Tsais plan to reinvest the proceeds from the sale into a state-of-the-art, 75,000-square-foot practice facility in Brooklyn exclusively for the Liberty. Since 2019, the team has shared the Barclays Center with the Brooklyn Nets, who are also majority-owned by the Tsais, strengthening the synergy between the two franchises.
When the Tsais acquired the Liberty six years ago, the team was valued between $10 million and $14 million. This recent valuation marks an extraordinary increase, making the Liberty worth 32 to 45 times more than their purchase price, underscoring the explosive growth and increasing value of women’s professional sports.
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This sale highlights the rise of the WNBA, which struggled in its early years but has surged in popularity, especially after the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The league now enjoys growing support from NBA players and fans alike. For example, NBA superstar Stephen Curry’s legendary shootout with Sabrina Ionescu during the 2024 All-Star Game captured national attention, while Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton showed his support courtside at an Indiana Fever game, cheering on Caitlin Clark and her team during the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Liberty have been at the forefront of this growth. Star players like Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart headline the roster, and following their championship season, the team has started strong this year, hinting at the possibility of a budding dynasty.
If the Liberty continue their winning streak and possibly repeat as champions, their value—and the spotlight on women’s basketball—will only rise further.
The New York Liberty’s record-breaking valuation is a testament to the growing prominence and commercial viability of women’s professional sports. As the franchise invests in world-class facilities and nurtures top-tier talent, it signals a bright and promising future—not just for the Liberty but for the entire WNBA. This landmark deal inspires hope that women’s sports will continue gaining the recognition, support, and investment they deserve, paving the way for new generations of athletes and fans alike.
