EuroLeague Chief Says NBA’s European Ambitions Pose No Immediate Threat
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London, Jan. 17, 2026 — EuroLeague chief executive Paulius Motiejunas said the continent’s top men’s basketball competition is not alarmed by the NBA’s blueprint for a new Europe-based league scheduled to launch in October 2027.
“We’ve only heard the fireworks of how amazing it will be,” Motiejunas told The Associated Press. “Having a theory is one thing — making it work is another. We’ve been here for 26 years. We know how Europe functions.”
NBA targeting 16-team format
The NBA, working with FIBA, is studying a 16-team structure that would feature 12 permanent franchises. Athens, Istanbul, Paris, Lyon, Munich, Berlin, Rome, Milan, Madrid, Barcelona, London and Manchester have been identified as possible host cities. Media reports say a franchise fee of at least $500 million is under consideration.
Commissioner Adam Silver, speaking Thursday in Berlin before the Orlando Magic beat the Memphis Grizzlies 118-111 in the league’s first regular-season game in Germany, called the project “an enormous undertaking” that could take “multi-decades” to become commercially viable. He dismissed the prospect of EuroLeague litigation over talks with clubs, and added that current discussions with Spanish teams such as Real Madrid are “more in the category of fact finding.”
Shareholder clubs in the spotlight
The EuroLeague’s 20-team field includes 13 shareholder clubs protected from relegation. Three of those teams — Real Madrid, Istanbul’s Fenerbahce and Tony Parker’s ASVEL near Lyon — have yet to renew their 10-year licenses. Barcelona, which had been hesitant, has indicated it will commit for another decade, Motiejunas said.
EuroLeague contracts reportedly carry a €10 million ($11.6 million) exit clause. Motiejunas would not confirm the figure but noted that agreements can be broken “through consequences and legal teams” and that no deal contains an NBA opt-out.
Letter warns of legal action
The EuroLeague recently sent a letter to NBA headquarters cautioning that continued talks with its shareholder clubs could prompt legal proceedings. Motiejunas stressed he still hopes for cooperation with the NBA but emphasized that his priority is protecting the existing competition.
Financial measures and expansion
Facing widespread club losses, the EuroLeague has introduced spending limits aimed at long-term stability. Last season’s Final Four was staged in Abu Dhabi, the first time the event left Europe. The league has also granted a multiyear license to a new Dubai franchise and extended its partnership with sports marketing firm IMG.
“We focus on ourselves,” Motiejunas said. “We will be able to adapt, there’s no question about it, and we will continue to fight.”
Source: ESPN
