Report: NBA owners to vote on new European league
NBA owners are scheduled to vote on a potential new European basketball league later this week, Sportico's Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams report.
The planned league would reportedly consist of 8-to-10 franchises and have a "semi-open" format, allowing qualification slots for up to four teams from the EuroLeague, such as Real Madrid, Olympiacos, or Partizan Belgrade, the following season.
Franchises in cities such as London and Paris could sell for as much as $500 million, according to Soshnick and Novy-Williams, who add NBA officials would rather sell stakes to people outside the league: sovereign wealth funds, private capital, or existing European basketball clubs.
The NBA would reportedly own 50% of the permanent franchises and sell the other 50% to outside investors. The league had a similar system with its WNBA ownership until 2022.
FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis said in December he was in "serious conversation" with NBA commissioner Adam Silver over a potential NBA-owned European league.
The EuroLeague also operates in a semi-open format, consisting of 13 permanent members and five yearly qualifiers. The 13 permanent license-holders recently inked a contract extension with the EuroLeague through the 2035-36 season.
NBA rosters have ballooned with international talent in recent years. There were 125 international players on opening-day rosters, including a record 61 European-born players. Two of the last three MVP winners (Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic) are European.
The NBA has been steadily expanding its reach in Europe. Two regular-season contests between the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs were played in Paris in January.
The NBA and FIBA partnered to launch the Basketball Africa League in 2021.