Alibaba Exec Vice Chair Joe Tsai has "bought" the NLL’s expansion team in San Diego, according to Scott Soshnick of BLOOMBERG NEWS. A source said that Tsai paid about $5M for the "yet-to-be-named franchise." NLL CMO Ashley Dabb "declined to comment on the terms of the deal." Tsai's NLL purchase "may also be a precursor to other American sports investments." He has "expressed an interest in buying a stake" of the Nets. Meanwhile, NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz said that the league's average paid attendance "eclipsed 10,000 last season," up 12% from the previous year (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 8/29). In San Diego, Kevin Acee writes there are "rumors" Tsai "wants to build an arena" in the city's East Village neighborhood. That would "open up the land occupied by the current sports arena for" an NFL stadium. Tsai joins Rams Owner Stan Kroenke as an NLL owner and it is "likely NBA owners will become NLL franchisees in the coming years." With "money and passion and the type of community involvement that NLL officials pledge, this could be the start of something bigger than we know" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 8/30). Inner Circle Sports, which has been working with the NLL, advised on the deal (THE DAILY).
