New York Liberty Welcomes Strategic Investors at $450M Valuation

The New York Liberty, reigning WNBA champions, have secured a record $450 million valuation following a significant investment round featuring high-profile new owners including Alibaba founder Jack Ma and supermodel Karlie Kloss. This investor group also includes Karen Finerman, Thasunda Brown Duckett, Gabrielle Rubenstein, and Samantha Lasry, who bring diverse expertise from finance, sports, and culture, with the funds earmarked for an $80 million, 75,000-square-foot practice facility in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, set to open in 2027. Jack Ma, reportedly the lead investor, has a longstanding business partnership with Liberty co-owner Joe Tsai and is a passionate advocate for women's sports, contributing to the franchise's rapid growth. Karlie Kloss, with a net worth around $40 million, expressed her enthusiasm for joining the ownership group, which marks a historic milestone for women's professional sports franchises. The Liberty are off to a strong start this season, maintaining an unbeaten record and aiming for back-to-back WNBA titles. The ownership expansion and facility investment reflect the broader growth and increasing valuation of women's professional sports.