Writer’s Strike End a Boon for Sports Networks, Agencies
On Thursday, BSE Global hired Sam Zussman as the new Chief Executive Officer — its third CEO since Joe and Clara Tsai purchased the Brooklyn Nets in 2019.
Zussman, formerly with IMG, will transition into the CEO role this summer and join the organization full-time prior to the start of the 2022-23 season. He will also be nominated to be an Alternate Governor of the Nets.
David Levy, former head of Turner Media, was Joe Tsai’s first CEO when he took over the team in 2019 — but Levy departed two months into the job due to “philosophical differences.”
Blue Pool Capital head Oliver Weisberg took over as interim CEO before John Abbamondi landed the job in July 2021. Abbamondi announced in February that he would also be on his way out.
The Tsais bought the team and its entities for $3.5 billion, with Joe saying it was worth it given the way the NBA spreads money among all 30 teams “kind of [like] a socialist system.”
But after pandemic losses and a disappointing season in which Nets superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving only played 21 total games together, Tsai reportedly lost $50-100 million.
BSE Global is the parent company of the Nets, New York Liberty, Long Island Nets, and Barclays Center.
