NBA Commissioner Eyes 2027 Start for Europe-Based League
nba-eyes-2027-start-for-european-league
New York, Sept. 17, 2025 — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league’s planned European offshoot could tip off as soon as 2027, calling the timeline “ambitious” but achievable if key benchmarks are met.
Speaking Tuesday at a Front Office Sports conference, Silver confirmed that the NBA and FIBA are collaborating on the project, tentatively titled “NBA Europe.” He indicated that existing arenas across the continent would host games during the early years while newer venues are developed.
“I don’t think I’d want to go much longer than ’28,” Silver told attendees. “The opportunity is now to do something like this.”
Over the summer, Silver and Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum met with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, other government officials, and prospective investors. Those discussions, Silver said, reinforced confidence that a European league backed by the NBA can succeed. “I would say I’m enthusiastic about it,” he added.
Preliminary plans outline a 16-team competition, though that figure could change. Traditional European powers such as Real Madrid, Fenerbahce Istanbul, and Barcelona are expected to be involved, according to the Associated Press. Separate reports from Eurohoops.net indicate that London and Manchester are likely to secure franchises.
Silver pointed to basketball’s rapid global growth as a catalyst for expansion. “Basketball’s probably the fastest-growing sport in the world right now, and it’s a huge No. 2 sport in Europe behind soccer, so I think there’s a real opportunity,” he said.
Source: HoopsRumors
