Multi-country NBA expansion in the works with soccer clubs set to provide new teams

The NBA is actively exploring the creation of a European basketball league, collaborating with FIBA and engaging with various stakeholders, including European soccer clubs, to assess the feasibility of this venture.

Commissioner Adam Silver emphasised that while discussions are ongoing, the initiative remains in its early stages, with a potential launch not expected before the 2026–27 season. He has been a huge proponent of European expansion, calling it “destiny” as far back as 2015.

“I will say it’s measured in years, not months,” Silver explained. “So, we’re at least a couple years away from launching. It would be an enormous undertaking. And while we want to move forward at a deliberate pace, we also want to make sure that we’re consulting with all the appropriate stakeholders, meaning the existing league, its teams, European players, media companies, marketing partners. There’s a lot of work to be done.”

‘The NBA and FIBA are uniquely positioned to build on the rich tradition of European basketball’

“Either way, we continue to feel there are an enormous number of underserved basketball fans in Europe and that there’s a strong opportunity to have another league styled after the NBA,” Silver added. “The NBA and FIBA are uniquely positioned to build on the rich tradition of European basketball. We look forward to collaborating with FIBA to explore the creation of a new league for fans across the continent,” Silver added.

Reports suggest that the proposed league aims to tap into the growing European basketball market, offering a platform that could operate alongside existing national leagues and provide new opportunities for clubs and players.

Key aspects under consideration include the establishment of approximately 16 teams, and the NBA has reached out to prominent European football clubs to explore their interest in forming basketball franchises such as PSG and Manchester City. Financially, the league could benefit from expansion fees, with reports suggesting that each new team might require an initial investment of around $500 million.

While the EuroLeague currently dominates European club basketball, the NBA’s initiative is not intended to compete directly but rather to complement and enhance the existing basketball ecosystem. Silver has expressed a preference for collaboration with the EuroLeague and its member clubs, aiming to create a synergistic relationship that benefits all parties involved.

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The proposed league also envisions integrating a merit-based qualification system, allowing clubs from various European countries to participate based on performance. The European league could have its big moment around the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with Silver admitting that the Games “might be a good launching pad for an announcement around a new competition.”

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