NBA Europe Draws Billion-Dollar Bids From More Than 120 Interested Parties
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Interest in the National Basketball Association’s planned European league surged ahead of Tuesday’s deadline for non-binding proposals, according to multiple people briefed on the process.
Two sources told The Athletic’s Joe Vardon that several groups offered at least $1 billion each for a permanent franchise, while numerous others submitted figures of $500 million or more. In all, more than 120 investors signed non-disclosure agreements and forwarded formal “declarations of interest,” the sources said.
“The level of engagement and the scale of the bids reflect the marketplace’s belief in our proposed model and the enormous, untapped potential for European basketball,” deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said in a statement. The league office, led by commissioner Adam Silver, is said to be “delighted” with the early response.
Existing European clubs, including several that currently compete in the EuroLeague, were among the applicants—an alignment that could strain relations with Europe’s top club competition if teams defect to the NBA venture.
The NBA is targeting a franchise fee between $500 million and $1 billion per club, scaled to individual markets, and prospective owners were asked to account for potential arena construction costs. Some European bidders have questioned the business model, and sources anticipate weeks of intense negotiations before final terms are set.
High-profile funds and investors are already positioning themselves. The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund is exploring a London bid, Qatar Sports Investments wants a Paris club, and Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital is eyeing Milan. One confirmed team bid came from AEK Athens for the Greek capital.
The league has pinpointed 12 preferred markets—London, Paris, Milan, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, Athens, Istanbul, Berlin, Munich, Lyon and Manchester—and competition exists in each city, sources said.
With proposals in hand, NBA executives will begin whittling the field to the most qualified ownership groups. Although the Board of Governors must give final approval, that step is expected to be procedural. License holders will be unveiled in stages, and Silver remains focused on tipping off the inaugural season in October 2027.
Source: Hoops Rumors
