Long-Distance Marriage Ends: Alibaba Co-Founder Joseph Tsai and Wife Clara Wu Tsai Announce Divorce After 30 Years

Joseph Tsai, Chairman of Alibaba Group and co-owner of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets and WNBA's New York Liberty, and his wife Clara Wu Tsai, who have been married for 30 years, announced their decision to end their marriage through an exclusive statement to New York media outlet _Page Six_. The statement emphasized that the decision was made with mutual respect.

'Over the years, our relationship has evolved into a business partnership where we co-managed our businesses and raised our children. While our emotional connection has changed, the divorce process has been peaceful, and we will continue to maintain a strong professional partnership,' the statement said.

Tsai will continue as Chairman of BSE Global, while Wu Tsai will remain as Vice Chair. In terms of team ownership, Tsai will continue as the top executive of the Brooklyn Nets, and Wu Tsai will continue to lead the New York Liberty.

Both parties mentioned that with the help of professional teams, they will continue to co-own and manage the teams, and plan to gradually involve their three adult children in the process. Regarding Alibaba Group, the statement made it clear that there are no plans to sell Alibaba shares, and Tsai will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board.

The 62-year-old Tsai and 60-year-old Wu Tsai married in New York City in October 1996 and have three children (Dash, Jacob, and Alex). They co-founded Alibaba Group in 1999, with Tsai becoming one of Ma Yun's most important business partners. According to Forbes' 2026 wealth ranking, Tsai's assets amount to $12.3 billion.

The couple entered the sports industry in 2018, acquiring 49% of the Brooklyn Nets. In 2019, they acquired 100% of the Nets and their home arena, Barclays Center, for $2.35 billion (approximately NT$75.93 billion), setting a record for the highest acquisition price in U.S. professional sports history.

Under the leadership of Wu Tsai, who holds degrees from Stanford University and Harvard Business School, they also acquired the WNBA's New York Liberty in 2019, relocating the professional women's basketball team to Barclays Center and promoting the development of women's basketball.

Tsai, who is based in Hong Kong, and Wu Tsai, who resides in New York, have been living on opposite sides of the Pacific. Their last public appearance together was in May this year, when they jointly delivered a speech at the Asian American Foundation's (TAAF) Traditional Month Summit.