NEW YORK (Diya TV) — The NBA is considering the development of a new professional league for basketball in Europe, with FIBA, the international basketball federation, as a partner. Commissioner Adam Silver made initial plans public on Thursday, laying out the potential for the league to begin as soon as 2026.
The new league will have 16 teams, with 12 permanent franchises, and will focus on major European markets like Paris and London, the NBA said. The NBA sees a mixture of old-style European basketball with contemporary commercial conventions, such as a salary cap system. NBA team owners would own equity in the league but not in specific clubs, Silver stated.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to grow the game of basketball in Europe,” Silver said Thursday to reporters. “There’s strong support from our board members to pursue this concept.”
The NBA has been setting the stage for months, meeting with European clubs, investors, and FIBA representatives. Among the likely participants are some of the biggest EuroLeague clubs like Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, ASVEL Basket, and Fenerbahçe Istanbul. Although no teams have made a formal announcement of interest in exiting the EuroLeague, Silver did not close the door on their participation in the new league.
“We want to honor the tradition of European sport while introducing a commercially viable league,” Silver said. “We’re still in the early stages, but we’re excited about the possibilities.”
The proposed league will differ from the NBA in several key ways, including the game length and style. Silver emphasized that the competition would follow FIBA’s 40-minute game format and maintain European basketball’s distinct style of play.
Sources close to the talks reported that deep-pocketed investors, such as owners of premium European soccer clubs, have expressed interest in becoming part of the venture. An Atlanta-based team with the backing of Qatar Sports Investments might be one of the league’s initial franchises.
The NBA expansion into Europe will also be heavily competed against by the current EuroLeague, which is the continent’s premier professional basketball league. While there have been previous efforts at cooperation, the NBA has yet to make progress with the EuroLeague, which has conflicted with FIBA regarding scheduling and governing issues.
Undaunted by setbacks, Silver continues to be confident about the destiny of the European league, thanks to the increasingly popular sport in Europe and the marketing potential on the continent.
