The Asian University Basketball League (AUBL) has closed a Series A funding round backed by a roster of prominent global investors, the league said in an announcement, as it pushes forward with plans to expand intercollegiate basketball across Asia.
The round was led by Blue Pool Capital, the family office of Joe Tsai, who had previously supported the league at the seed stage.
New investors include Avenue Capital Group, chaired by Marc Lasry, Bolt Ventures, venture capital firm HSG, Hong Kong conglomerate Nan Fung Group, and Chinese basketball icon Yao Ming.
[See more: Inside the Asian University Basketball League’s rise with Jay Li]
The league debuted in 2025 with a week-long tournament in Hangzhou featuring 12 of Asia’s leading university teams. Organisers said the event attracted more than 65 million livestream views and over 29,000 in-person spectators, signalling growing interest in elite collegiate basketball in the region. Early commercial partners include Under Armour and J.P. Morgan Private Bank.
The new funding will help support the next stage of the league’s development, including expanding its competition format and operational capabilities.
“The funding enables us to cover the costs of international travel for games and stage home-and-away competitions with stronger production,” the league’s CEO Jay Li told The Bay. “It will also allow us to expand our team to support game operations and content production.”
The league plans to host another standalone 12-team tournament in Hangzhou from 2 to 9 August 2026, with participating universities from Greater China, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, and new entrants from the Philippines and Australia expected to be announced in May.
Following that event, the AUBL intends to launch its first full home-and-away season in November 2026. Sixteen teams are expected to compete across major cities in Asia through April 2027, culminating in a championship event described as Asia’s version of “March Madness.”
With backing from several investors linked to the NBA, organisers say the league aims to strengthen the development pathway for university players while elevating the profile of collegiate sports across Asia.
