Joe Tsai: Last News

Alibaba Group has announced that co-founder Joe Tsai is taking over as chairman, while Eddie Wu, currently chairman of ecommerce businesses Taobao and Tmall Group, has been appointed CEO. 

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce, technology and entertainment giant, said Tuesday that Joseph C. Tsai will succeed Daniel Zhang as chairman of the group. Eddie Wu (aka Wu Yongming) will take over Zhang’s role as group CEO. Both men are veterans of the group. Tsai, owner of the Brooklyn Nets basketball franchise, is currently Alibaba’s executive vice chairman. Wu is one of Alibaba’s founders and was its original chief technology officer in 1999. He has since held the CTO role at key businesses units including Taobao and Alipay and is currently chairman of Taobao and Tmall Group. Zhang, who took over as group chairman from the iconic Jack Ma, is in the process of orchestrating the biggest restructuring in Alibaba’s 24-year history. Alibaba, which has share listings in New York and Hong Kong, is to transform itself into a holding company with stakes in six separate business units that are free to raise their own capital or even go down the IPO route.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Ronny Chieng’s Hulu comedy pilot is not being picked up to series at the streaming service, Variety has learned. The untitled pilot saw Chieng star as an analyst who is unexpectedly given the chance to be the general manager of the Brooklyn Nets when the entire front office staff quits. It was inspired by real-life Nets owner Joe Tsai. Variety exclusively reported the pilot was in the works in May 2022. Little was announced about the pilot beyond the initial report, but sources say Chieng co-wrote the pilot with Jon Pollack. Both also served as executive producers along with Melvin Mar, Jake Kasdan, and Hannah Pham. Greg Mottola directed the pilot. 20th Television was the studio, with Mar and Kasdan under an overall deal at 20th TV via The Detective Agency. According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, 20th TV and the producers plan to shop the project to other outlets.

Hulu is not moving forward with a pilot that was set to star comedian Ronny Chieng as the general manager of the Brooklyn Nets.

Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving has found himself at the center of another controversy after he shared a link to a documentary that espouses antisemitic views.

EXCLUSIVE: The Michael Doneger directed documentary Fate of a Sport, which ESPN acquired ahead of the pic’s Tribeca Film Festival world premiere, will drop on ESPN+ on Aug. 29.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterESPN Films has acquired worldwide rights to the documentary “Fate of a Sport,” Variety has learned exclusively.The deal was struck ahead of the film’s world premiere on Wednesday at the annual Tribeca Film Festival. Directed by Michael Doneger and written by Dan Crane, the expansive sports story was produced by Matt Tolmach (of the “Jumanji” and “Venom” franchises) and Doneger.“Fate” follows trailblazing athlete Paul Rabil, who spent eleven years as one of the most dominant and controversial players in a professional lacrosse league that filmmakers described as “anything but professional.”  Rabil and his brother Mike took matters into their own hands, and document their journey raising capital, attempting to poach top players, fight off lawsuits, and persevere through a global pandemic to launch the Premier Lacrosse League.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefAlibaba co-founder Joe Tsai and business partner Arthur Wang are facilitating the expansion into Asia of London and Los Angeles-based independent studio The Ink Factory.The Ink Factory has previously delivered adaptations of author John le Carré’s novels including “The Night Manager” and the “The Little Drummer Girl.” It is currently working on a series adaptation of “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold.”Already working on an Indian adaptation of “The Night Manager,” the company’s expansion plan calls for the establishment of a slate of le Carré works in major Asia markets and a platform for other creators in Asia.

Lacrosse may not leap to every mind when thinking of sports media juggernauts, but the centuries-old game is rapidly becoming a buzzy new draw with a fast-growing, young-skewing audience.

Scott Soshnick The Premier Lacrosse League’s launch in 2019 prompted many associated with the sport to ask whether there was enough support from financial linchpins like sponsors and ticket-buying fans to sustain two outdoor leagues.The answer, it seems, is no.To that end, the PLL and Major League Lacrosse, founded about two decades ago, are merging. The move consolidates outdoor lacrosse into a single entity that will operate under the banner of the Premier Lacrosse League, whose financial backers include billionaire Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai, The Raine Group and CAA.

By Scott Soshnick

By Scott Soshnick