NBA and FIBA accelerate plans for European basketball league
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The NBA and FIBA will begin formal discussions with club owners and executives next month about joining a new pan-European basketball league, the organizations announced Monday.
Under the current proposal, the competition would combine 12 permanent franchises with four annually earned berths. Teams could secure those rotating spots through FIBA’s Basketball Champions League or a post-season qualifying tournament, giving every club in a FIBA-affiliated European league a pathway to participate.
“The format respects European sport model principles by offering any ambitious club a fair pathway to the top,” FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis said.
While many details remain unsettled, officials are working toward an inaugural tip-off in October 2027. One model under review features a 16-team schedule, though final numbers could change as talks advance.
The project gained momentum around the 2024 Paris Olympics and moved forward after Zagklis and NBA commissioner Adam Silver appeared together in New York earlier this year. Financial advisors JPMorgan and the Raine Group were hired over the summer to shape revenue and investment strategies.
“Our conversations with various stakeholders in Europe have reinforced our belief that an enormous opportunity exists around the creation of a new league on the continent,” Silver said.
Current target markets include London and Manchester in the United Kingdom; Paris and Lyon in France; Madrid and Barcelona in Spain; Rome and Milan in Italy; Munich and Berlin in Germany; Athens in Greece; and Istanbul in Turkey.
European talent already plays a major role in the NBA, with stars such as Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic and Lauri Markkanen among the league’s standouts. Roughly one out of every six NBA players hails from Europe.
The NBA’s international presence continues next month when the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic stage regular-season games in Berlin and London.
Source: ESPN.com
