EuroLeague has formally rejected an acquisition proposal put forward by the NBA during a high-level summit at Villa d’Este in Cernobbio, Italy, while choosing to keep ongoing diplomatic and commercial channels open.
Villa d’Este Summit Yields Rejection and Open Doors
Thirteen shareholder club owners gathered on the shores of Lake Como for a crucial three-hour meeting to chart the competition’s future. ANSA reported that the initial NBA offer was turned down primarily over economic terms and governance structures. Barcelona president Joan Laporta dismissed the financial parameters of the proposal as “ridiculous,” according to reporting by ANSA. Meanwhile, Olympiacos president Giorgos Angelopoulos criticized the governance model outlined by the American league as “colonialist,” as noted by ANSA.
Despite the decisive rejection of the initial terms, qualified sources cited by ANSA confirmed that dialogue between the two basketball powerhouses has not been severed. The meeting also addressed, but ultimately refrained from formally voting on, a previously discussed expansion plan to grow the competition from 20 to 24 teams. Gazzetta.it noted that pausing this expansion framework served as one of the preconditions requested by the NBA to maintain a collaborative negotiating table.
Franchise Conversion Plans Move Forward in Italy
Rather than standing still to await further developments from New York and London, EuroLeague shareholders elected to advance their own internal restructuring. Gazzetta.it reported that clubs agreed to proceed with converting current ten-year licenses into permanent franchise agreements for the 13 core shareholder teams, which include Olimpia Milano alongside continental giants such as Real Madrid, Efes Istanbul, and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Concurrently, the competition evaluated expressions of interest for eight newly created franchise slots. Gazzetta.it detailed that roughly twenty binding bids have been submitted, with four Italian clubs actively pursuing admission: Virtus Bologna, Napoli, BC Roma, and Roma Maxima. Prospective entrants face estimated franchise fee valuations ranging between €50 million and €90 million.
The EuroLeague ECA Board has been tasked with drafting formal recommendations regarding these expansion slots. ANSA indicated that final decisions on who enters and the precise timeline for integration will be crystallized within approximately one month.
Anticipated Next Moves in the Transatlantic Basketball Stand
The unfolding standoff leaves multiple strategic paths open as both sides weigh their advantages. ANSA noted that NBA officials view European expansion as a once-in-a-generation opportunity and are expected to return with a revised pitch. Conversely, the looming threat remains that the NBA could pursue independent entry strategies—such as establishing a separate 16-team European competition as early as October 2027—potentially enticing select European clubs away despite existing multi-year agreements and severe financial penalties within EuroLeague. With the ECA Board slated to present its franchise recommendations within a month, the coming weeks will determine whether transatlantic negotiations can bridge the vast divide over governance and revenue.
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