NBA, EuroLeague Still Negotiating Framework for Potential European League
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Ongoing discussions between the NBA and the EuroLeague over a proposed NBA Europe competition remain unresolved as both organizations work to define the terms of a possible partnership.
According to The Athletic, newly appointed EuroLeague chief executive Chus Bueno, a former NBA executive, is scheduled to meet this week in Barcelona with George Aivazoglou, the NBA’s managing director for Europe and the Middle East and the project’s day-to-day leader.
The NBA is courting the financial strength, fan bases and facilities of major European soccer clubs to anchor the venture. Club representatives involved in the talks, however, believe the balance of leverage favors them, with one source telling The Athletic that many of the soccer organizations “don’t really need a basketball team.”
Some soccer clubs could be persuaded if owning an NBA franchise becomes a long-term possibility. At present, sovereign or public wealth funds may only hold minority stakes in NBA teams, but league governance could eventually revisit that restriction.
Negotiations are described as tense. The NBA wants all current EuroLeague teams included, yet is also requiring license holders to pay variable fees based on market size and to upgrade arenas and other infrastructure. One prospective team representative questioned why valuations would differ from market to market.
Certain soccer powers raised the idea of paying NBA clubs to borrow star players in a system similar to soccer transfers, but league officials rejected the concept outright.
Regardless of how the talks unfold, sources told The Athletic that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is still expected to secure one of the NBA Europe licenses, with London identified as the likely market.
Source: Hoops Rumors
