The Asian University Basketball League (AUBL) closed its Series A funding round after drawing a high-profile roster of global investors, as it accelerates plans to build a pan-regional intercollegiate basketball league across Asia.

The round was led by Blue Pool Capital, the family office of Alibaba co-founder and Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai, building on his earlier seed investment. New investors include Avenue Capital Group, chaired by Marc Lasry; Bolt Ventures, the family office of David Blitzer; venture capital firm HSG; Hong Kong conglomerate Nan Fung Group; and basketball icon Yao Ming.

Sanctioned by the Asian University Sports Federation, AUBL debuted in 2025 with a week-long tournament in Hangzhou featuring 12 of Asia's top university teams. The event drew more than 65 million livestream views and over 29,000 in-person spectators, signaling a strong regional appetite for elite collegiate competition.

Early commercial partners include Under Armour and J.P. Morgan Private Bank. The league also launched a youth development initiative, Hoop Scholars, in Hong Kong.

With fresh capital secured, AUBL outlined an ambitious competition roadmap. A standalone 12-team tournament will return to Hangzhou from August 2–9, 2026 — featuring programs from Greater China, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, and new entrants from the Philippines and Australia — with participating universities expected to be announced in May.

The league will then transition to its first full home-and-away season, tipping off in November 2026. Sixteen teams will compete across iconic cities across Asia through April 2027, culminating in a championship event positioned as Asia's version of 'March Madness'.

"We're seeing clear demand from schools, players, and fans for a larger platform," AUBL CEO and co-founder Jay Li said, noting the league's focus on event operations, student and alumni engagement, and youth outreach. "Our ambition is not just to run a league, but to build a cultural movement around university sports in Asia."

The investor lineup — featuring three current or former NBA team owners in Tsai, Blitzer, and Lasry — underscores the growing confidence in AUBL's role within the global basketball ecosystem.

Tsai said attending the 2025 finals reinforced his belief in the league's trajectory. "The energy in the arena and the level of competition showed that the potential is real," he said.

Lasry described Asian collegiate basketball as "ripe for transformation", while Blitzer pointed to the broader opportunity in youth and amateur sports worldwide.

For Yao Ming, the investment carries personal resonance. Calling his rejection from an NCAA college one of his career regrets, he said AUBL offers a meaningful platform for student-athletes in Asia. "I'm proud to support this league and to cheer for my alma mater," he added.

Sanctioned by the Asian University Sports Federation, AUBL aims to unify top university programs across the region while elevating the profile and cultural impact of collegiate sports in Asia.