The NBA and FIBA are currently in discussions regarding the potential establishment of a new basketball league in Europe to rival the Euroleague and top professional leagues in various European countries.
Andreas Zagklis, the secretary general of FIBA, shared during his annual year-end news conference on Monday that, “There is clear interest (by the NBA) and there are ongoing discussions with FIBA. We’ve been having and will continue having discussions with the company that operates the Euroleague.”
Zagklis mentioned, “It is something that has been on our radar. We tried to bring everyone together, but this was not possible. So our job is to continue serious conversations with our partners at the NBA.”
During the news conference, Zagklis also highlighted that “basketball in Europe is punching much below its commercial potential,” and FIBA believes that the NBA’s marketing expertise could help boost fan engagement in European basketball.
The Euroleague currently consists of 18 top teams in Europe, with two tiers of franchises including 13 permanent members and five qualifying teams. The permanent members are shareholders in the EuroLeague and operate under a license that expires after the 2025-26 season.
Teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona are contemplating allowing their Euroleague licenses to expire.
