NBA Eyes European Expansion with New Basketball League

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is exploring a new European-wide basketball league in collaboration with FIBA. Silver hopes to emulate the passion of European soccer fans and is discussing with potential investors, including European soccer clubs like Barcelona and Paris St Germain. The NBA seeks substantial foreign investment.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is looking to capture the passion and intensity of European soccer fans by establishing a new basketball league on the continent in collaboration with FIBA. Announced last year, the initiative remains in discussions with potential investors and seeks to incorporate existing basketball teams from renowned soccer clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Speaking in London before an NBA game, Silver emphasized the cultural significance of European fan traditions, which he hopes to infuse into the planned league. He expressed a desire for success, emphasizing profit reinvestment to further grow the sport. The NBA views European soccer's deep-rooted traditions as a model to aspire to.

The proposed league is set to invite diverse investment, targeting franchise fees between $500 million and $1 billion. Open to foreign investments from both sovereign wealth funds and private equity, the NBA sees this venture as a significant growth opportunity. London, having hosted numerous NBA games, could be pivotal in developing British basketball talents, despite historically low representation in the NBA.