BSE Global, the parent company of the Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty, and Barclays Center, expanded its growing media portfolio on Tuesday, launching a new publisher called Type.Set.Brooklyn.
According to BSE Global chief product and experiences officer DeJuan Wilson, the outlet, which will launch with a team of around a dozen full-time staff, will be tasked with creating content that defines and capitalizes on Brooklyn’s distinctive brand.
The publisher will focus primarily on video content, launching with a slate of four original series that it will distribute across social media and YouTube, with a website of written content for more in-depth stories.
“The name comes from the idea of the typesetting moment,” Wilson said. “It’s when something gets stamped with permanence and purpose. Brooklyn does that for culture-it pressure-tests what’s real and passes it on to the world.”
While the publisher declined to share investment details or revenue projections, the new venture will have the benefit of its deep-pocketed backers, the Alibaba cofounder Joe Tsai and his wife Clara Wu Tsai, as well as Julia Koch, the widow of billionaire and conservative megadonor David Koch.
The outlet will work to operate sustainably on a standalone basis, according to Wilson, but it will function as part of a broader gambit from BSE Global to distill the essence of Brooklyn into a marketable commodity.
Last year, BSE Global acquired Brooklyn Magazine for an undisclosed price and retooled it into a guide for Brooklyn culture, and it has spent millions as part of a larger effort to enhance the area around the Barclays Center.
A video-first approach
At launch, Type.Set.Brooklyn will lean heavily on short and long-form video, with its content distributed primarily on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
The website will serve as a deeper home for extended storytelling and supporting text content across verticals like music, food, style, and entrepreneurship.
Public Domain, a weekly series inspired by sampling and freestyle culture, challenges emerging and veteran producers to remake 100-year-old tracks for modern artists. The first episode features Grammy-winning producer Bbearded and rapper Nay Speaks.
The Last Pick celebrates underdog athletes, teaming host Ashley Williams with players defying expectations on the court, including 5’4″ hooper Julian Newman and Muslim basketball star Jamad Fiin.
The Price Is Tight taps into Brooklyn’s vintage fashion culture by having participants create thrifted, theme-based looks under budgetary and time constraints. And Love on The Stoop is a dating series where blindfolded strangers answer pop culture and relationship questions to test compatibility.
The publisher has plans to unveil more series shortly, as well as expand into content forms outside of video and text, such as podcasts and events, according to Wilson.
“We have about 10 additional series in the pipeline,” he said. “We’re actively learning from audience response and adjusting our content strategy.”
Advertising focus with eyes on expansion
The publisher will monetize almost exclusively through advertising, including sponsorships and branded content. YouTube will be the centerpiece of its video strategy, in part because the platform is the most easily monetized.
Type.Set.Brooklyn plans to expand beyond advertising once it has established its brand, potentially moving into commerce and events. There are no immediate plans for any kind of subscription or reader revenue product.
The publisher marks the next step in BSE Global’s wider media play, which began with its 2024 acquisition and relaunch of Brooklyn Magazine.
BKMag now serves as a local lifestyle guide to Brooklyn, while Type.Set.Brooklyn aims to act as a global extension of the borough’s cultural capital. The two can be bundled for sponsorship opportunities, but each is expected to operate as an independent business.
While digital media remains a tough landscape, BSE’s sports and entertainment holdings offer a built-in audience. The Nets’ global fan base, the Liberty’s WNBA title run, and the company’s ties to venues and influencers give Type.Set.Brooklyn a potential headstart in an increasingly competitive space.
“We’re not looking at this as a marketing vehicle,” Wilson said. “This has to be a strong, standalone business that represents Brooklyn culture globally.”