Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner, has confirmed that the plans continue to develop a men’s basketball competition In Europe, by the hand of FIBAand has updated the current status of the project in a press appearance after the celebration of the NBA Governing Board.
“We have talked about opportunities in Europe. Mark Tatum, the deputy commissioner, who is here, led those conversations. He and I We spend time in Europe this summer talking to several interlocutors, including existing clubs that would like to be part of the Leaguemedia companies, other agents involved, our Federation, FIBA. I would say that There is still enormous enthusiasm around that opportunity “Silver said.
The commissioner, who presented Together with Andreas Zagklis, general secretary of FIBAthe idea of the joint project last March highlighting the importance of sports meritocracy and an access road to competition from the Basketball Champions League and national leagues, has stressed again that “The state of basketball in Europe seems fantastic to me. They have their own traditions, which of course we want to maintainbut we think there is the possibility of Take an NBA -style league to the continent and take the game to another level “.
In addition to highlighting the positive words of Tony Parker, owner of the ASVEL, in a recent interview pointing out that “it is not about whether the NBA will come to Europe, it is when”Silver offered an update: “Since the last time we talked, We hire JP Morgan to work with us in the analysis And also to another smaller bank called Rainwhich has done a lot of work for the league historically and has represented several clubs in transactions. So they are working thoroughly in the model, trying to better understand the investment opportunity for external agents. ”
Nothing is easy
“I think that now our basketball people are very involved in how the competition will work. Our lawyers are reflecting intensely on how we can move A system that in American sport is well known, based on salary stops and income distribution with players, and how to apply it in a European framework. Nothing is easy here. There are reasons why this has not been done before. But I think we are prepared for it and, again, the answer has been extraordinary, ”said the NBA Commissioner.
Silver wanted to clarify that The process of possible franchise extension in the NBA and the process of a new competition in Europe, by the hand of FIBA, are independent: “There are independent people studying a possible domestic expansion and others analyzing opportunities in Europe, and I see it as completely independent opportunities. Although what we can do in Europe and in the United States are totally separated, I think that adding equipment to an existing league, where you have – at least nationally – fixed income, is very different to consider an opportunity in Europe, where it is a blank sheet. Although there is already a structure there, in a way it is a virgin terrain in terms of the magnitude of the opportunity “.
The NBA commissioner, after being asked, also addressed the possible role of the Euroleague, to which FIBA sat down at the negotiating table in search of the general interest and despite the subsequent publication of his competition calendar by overlapping once again with the established of the FIBA Windows of the 2027 World Cup. “The conversations with the Euroleague are still in progressso yes, there is still margin, as you say, to deepen the relationship with them and find formulas to integrate our operation in some way ”.
Teams linked to football
Finally, he wanted to address the possible stage of participating teams following a question about whether they would be new teams, existing teams, football -related teams …: “I would not say that our preference is necessarily linked to those well -known European football clubs. I think that is a model, in which especially some of these incredible football brands in Europe have some of the world’s greatest followers behind their clubs, but also, as you know, they have basketball traditions. They may not be so known to their basketball teams, but it is not as if we take a football club and say: ‘Now create one of basketball.’ They already have basketball equipment, as you know, in some cases high level teams. I think we are addressing market market. In certain markets, some of those football clubs have taken a step forward; They have basketball structures. In some cases they have teams that already play in other leagues and have said: ‘We would be very interested in associating with you’. And in other markets there is no the same basketball tradition that we see in certain European countries. I am sure that you are also thinking that when I talk about Europe, Europe is a very diverse place: from one country to another things can vary greatly, interest in basketball can vary greatly. There are European countries with well -known capitals for the American public that seem great opportunities, but that do not have a great basketball tradition. In those markets it probably makes more sense to start from scratch and create new clubs “.
Silver made a final point: “Mark tatum is the one who leads this initiative. It is a hybrid model. I think We are open to different approaches, recognizing that Europe is a huge place. Sports cultures and traditions can vary greatly, particularly in basketball, market in market, country in country. So part of the work we are doing now consists of really deepening. Perhaps this is the opportunity in this country, where there is an existing soccer club very interested, but in this other country we must start from scratch ”.
