The NBA is ready to evaluation a proposal for a brand new European basketball league, a spokesperson confirmed Tuesday, following a report outlining a possible competitors with as much as 10 groups.
According to the sports activities business web site Sportico, the plan might embody eight to 10 franchises, with as much as 4 groups from the EuroLeague, Europe’s prime membership competitors.
The league would additionally introduce new groups in cities like London and Paris, with an estimated worth of as much as $500 million, based mostly on sources conversant in the plans.
An NBA spokesperson mentioned the league would contemplate the proposal this week, emphasizing that any new competitors can be launched “in partnership” with FIBA, the worldwide governing physique for basketball.
“At this week’s NBA Board of Governors meeting, the league will report on its exploration of a new men’s basketball league in Europe, in partnership with FIBA,” the spokesperson mentioned.
Rumors of the NBA taking a much bigger position in European basketball have swirled for a number of months, with Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum saying final October there was an “untapped opportunity” to develop the game within the area.
“There’s no doubt that I think there is an opportunity for the game of basketball to continue to grow in Europe,” Tatum mentioned on a convention name.
“And, you know, what we’re focused on is really working with FIBA and our partners in Europe to tap into this untapped opportunity to further grow the game of basketball there.”
Tatum famous that regardless of basketball’s recognition in Europe, the game had “less than a one percent share of the commercial market.”
“So we just think there’s an opportunity to have a better model for European basketball,” Tatum mentioned.
Sportico reported that whereas no formal vote on the European league proposal had been scheduled throughout this week’s conferences in New York, workforce house owners might vote on the plan “at any time.”
Sportico additionally reported that beneath the proposal being thought-about, the NBA would promote everlasting franchise slots to outdoors buyers, reminiscent of sovereign wealth funds, non-public capital, rich people, or present European basketball golf equipment.
Source: www.dailysabah.com