The Asian University Basketball League (AUBL), founded by Alibaba co-chairman and Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai, has completed a Series A funding round featuring high-profile sports investors including Yao Ming, Marc Lasry, and David Blitzer.
Strong investor consortium supports regional growth
The round was led by Tsai’s family office, Blue Pool Capital, which also participated in the league’s earlier seed funding. Additional investors include Avenue Capital Group, Bolt Ventures, Hong Kong-based Nan Fung Group, and venture firm HSG (formerly Sequoia China).
While the league’s valuation has not been disclosed, the funding round is estimated to be in the eight-figure range, signaling strong confidence in the project’s long-term potential.
Building a pan-Asian basketball platform
The AUBL aims to establish a connected, cross-border collegiate basketball ecosystem across Asia, with the goal of creating a structured competition calendar and a championship event similar in concept to U.S. college basketball tournaments.
The league seeks to elevate competition levels by bringing together universities from multiple countries, strengthening school identities, and fostering fan engagement across the region.
Tournament and season expansion plans
The league’s 2026 tournament is scheduled to take place in Hangzhou, China, featuring 12 university teams from across Asia, including first-time participants from the Philippines and Australia. The participating schools have not yet been announced.
In addition, AUBL plans to launch a 16-school home-and-away season beginning in November 2026 and running through April 2027, marking a significant step toward a more structured, season-long competition format.
Ambition to create a regional tradition
AUBL founder and CEO Jay Li has emphasized the league’s ambition to build a uniquely Asian college basketball tradition, drawing inspiration from established formats like March Madness in the United States.
The long-term vision centers on developing a sustainable, pan-regional platform that enhances competitive balance, increases visibility for university programs, and taps into growing interest in basketball across Asia, particularly in China, where the sport has an established fanbase and infrastructure.