The vast majority of the public, however, only had eyes for the Orlando Magic where three German players play: the brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner and Tristan Da Silva. “Basketball is the fastest growing sport in the country today.”thus underlined Adam Silver, the big boss of the NBA who took advantage of his visit to Europe to once again test the popularity of basketball, but also to advance in the enormous project that he set out to carry out by the 2027-2028 season or more realistically 2028-2029: the creation of an NBA Europe league.
NBA Europe is already being played in the USA: “The league must get rid of the Europeans!”
“I believe it is entirely possible, thinks Franz Wagner, the new German basketball star. This would be a great example of how you can join forces and create something truly awesome. The supporters here have a rich tradition and a fantastic history. And the NBA excels in the marketing and development of this phenomenon, obtaining television audiences that match their ambitions.”
With PSG, Real or Manchester City
A tournament from October to May, with sixteen clubs established in sixteen major strategic cities in Europe, including Berlin and London. That’s the idea. A sort of copy of the current Euroleague, but under the NBA banner and with some specificities. There would be twelve fixed participants, and four others qualified on merit. All while aiming to create new, large, strong entities, like the NBA franchises which have – for the most part – become truly global brands.
The NBA is therefore discussing “with existing basketball teams”but also “football clubs that have a strong brand” and also envisages the creation of teams by starting from a blank page, explained George Aivazoglou, the general director of the NBA. Concretely, the project was submitted to clubs in Great Britain (Manchester, London), France (Paris and Lyon), Spain (Madrid and Barcelona), Italy (Rome, Milan), Germany (Bayern Munich and Berlin), Greece (Athens) and Turkey (Istanbul).
We could therefore see the already existing teams of Real Madrid, FC Barcelona or Bayern Munich facing future basketball players from Manchester City, Chelsea or Paris Saint-Germain. “If we work with football clubs that already have a structure and their fan base, it can be really interestingtold us Joakim Noah, crusader in Berlin, who even seems ready to get involved. If PSG were to create a team, I would like to be part of the project by getting involved in one way or another. PSG is a club that I have followed since I was little. But we’re not there yet, we have to see how it all evolves.”
If PSG were to create a team, I would like to be part of the project.
But will we see American stars set foot on European courts? At first, no. The Europeans would play among themselves. “But in the future there could be a tournament bringing together NBA teams and European teams. In a format similar to the NBA Cup, or the Club World Cup in football”explained George Aivazoglou.
Partners already convinced
This all seems quite crazy given the short deadlines envisaged, but the project is actually well and truly launched. Especially since we understand that an important announcement is planned for this Monday. “It’s a colossal project, that’s why we’re moving forward step by step, but we met interested clubsspecified Adam Silver. We have been talking to other potential players, including media companies who would like to cover it, potential media partners and sponsors who would like to work with us.”
The Tissot brand, major partner of the NBA Berlin Game and NBA London Game, is one of those interested. “From what I hear, it’s becoming more and more concrete. And we will obviously discuss with the NBA in due time to possibly involve Tissot“, smiled Sylvain Dolla, CEO of the Swiss watchmaker which already collaborates directly with the NBA via the supply of match clocks.
From what I hear, it’s becoming more and more concrete.
If the project is necessarily very poorly seen by the leaders of the Euroleague (who have put enormous pressure on its participants to renew their license before this Friday), it is on the other hand well received by the national leagues. “What NBA Europe can mean is to become the catalyst for the whole European movement, something the Euroleague has never managed to doobserved in The Team the Belgian Thomas Van Den Spiegel, president of the EBBL (the European Basket-Ball Leagues, which encompasses thirteen European leagues). Because if it succeeded at the club level, in terms of the quality of competition, it has never been able to convert at the economic level, nor in terms of popularity. The NBA can play this role.”
This is also the whole point. Without the presence of the big NBA stars, will it be possible to maintain the occasional craze of relocated American matches, such as in Berlin and London, then in Paris and Manchester in 2027? “I think all participants are aware that this project is not made for those with a short-term vision,” has in any case already warned Adam Silver who could therefore speak again the day after this Sunday’s match in London between the Magic and the Grizzlies.
