NBA and FIBA start large basketball offensive: League planned in Europe!

NBA and FIBA start large basketball offensive: League planned in Europe!

New York, USA - The basketball world is facing a significant change: the NBA is planning to found a new basketball league in Europe. This initiative is implemented in close cooperation with the FIBA and is intended to further explore the European market. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Fiba General Secretary Andreas Zagklis presented their visions for this league during a press conference in New York. Silver expressed that it was time to enter the next phase, with the reactions of team owners consistently positive.

In the planned league, there should initially be 16 teams, of which 12 should permanently participate. The league is not only integrated into the existing European basketball landscape, but also ensure that teams continue to play in their national leagues. Andreas Zagklis emphasized that the time after the successful World Championships and Olympic Games was ideal for this step in club basketball. Nevertheless, Silver made it clear that "literally nothing" was agreed and the NBA is currently in the exploratory phase.

of possible participants is being worked on

Although no specific teams have been called, potential participants such as Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Fenerbahçe, Olympiakos, Panathinaikos and Manchester City are under discussion. These teams could be included in the league due to their great brand awareness and support from wealthy investors. Some defectors from the Euroleague and new clubs in large markets such as Paris and London are also planned as participants. This could help to further close the gap between European and US basketball, where the NBA is considered the undisputed market leader.

In addition, the NBA signals a strong interest in not only supporting the European market in terms of sport but also infrastructure. It is considered to build more modern basketball halls in Europe, which could further promote the growth of sport. Basketball is the second most popular sport in Europe, but there is a recognizable gap in the development of the game compared to the USA.

promotion of sport without competition

The new league should also offer a performance -based path to qualify for other clubs, which means that teams from the national leagues and the basketball champions League have the opportunity to play in this new league. Fiba attaches great importance to discussions with clubs from these leagues to ensure that the competition has a positive effect on the basketball environment in Europe without suppressing existing competitions.

The overall goal of this initiative is to promote basketball and fan base in Europe and at the same time reward the extensive skills and talents of European players. The NBA sees Europe as an important growth market and strives to further expand its role in the European basketball scene. The future of European basketball could soon get a new face if the conversations and planning take concrete forms in the coming months.