Speaking to the media in Berlin, Germany ahead of Thursday’s Grizzlies-Magic game, commissioner Adam Silver confirmed the NBA is pressing ahead with its plans for a new league in Europe, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
“I would just say we continue to be enormously excited about it,” Silver said about the notion of an NBA Europe. “We’ve been meeting with clubs that are interested in participating in our league. We’ve been in discussions with other potential stakeholders, including media companies that would like to cover it, potential media partners and traditional sponsors who want to work with us on the league. We’re looking at the opportunity to grow the arena infrastructure, not just here in Germany but throughout the continent. It’s something that we’re enormously excited about.”
The NBA recently received a letter of potential legal action from the EuroLeague if the NBA contacts teams the EuroLeague says are under contract, a source confirmed to Ben Horney of Front Office Sports. According to Horney, a person familiar with the NBA’s thinking says it has “engaged with all parties in a lawful and appropriate manner,” and has “not engaged with anyone about any opportunity that they are not free to discuss.”
Silver discussed the notice on Thursday, saying, “I send the legal letters to my lawyers, so I’ll let them handle that,” per Joe Vardon and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.
“I don’t think by any means it’s inevitable that there is a clash (between the NBA, FIBA, and EuroLeague,” Silver said. “I think there’s opportunity here to grow European basketball. And frankly, I’m much more focused on the competitive landscape, not just with other sports in Europe, but with other entertainment options. That’s how we view the NBA. We don’t think of ourselves, even in the United States, as necessarily competing against other basketball organizations or other sports organizations. We’re competing for people’s attention.
“And if I thought that the ceiling was the existing EuroLeague and their fan interest, we wouldn’t be spending the kind of time and attention we are on this project.”
There are rumors that Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid — the most successful EuroLeague team in history — is leaning toward joining the NBA’s proposed league, which doesn’t have a formal name or official start date. Several of the permanent EuroLeague teams have signed 10-year contracts, but those deals include out clauses, including a €10 million early exit fee and additional damages that would be determined based on the situation, a source tells Horney.
Although the EuroLeague has reservations about the NBA’s European project, there’s still a possibility that the two sides could collaborate in some fashion in the future, according to Horney.
Silver reiterated on Thursday that the NBA will determine by the end of this year whether it will expand its own league, Reynolds notes.
“To me, honestly, the real heavy lift would be creating a new league in Europe,” Silver said. “As I said, that’s an enormous undertaking, which is why we’ve been moving one step at a time and being very careful and cautious and making sure we’re covering all our bases.”
I wonder if Nosferatu could even make a layup standing underneath the basket?
This whole NBA Europe thing is just completely unnecessary. The NBA already has a global reach and generates massive revenue across Europe and beyond. Trying to create a league to rival the establishment will only dilute the market, while convincing fans that corporate greed is out of control.
Stay at home and fix the issues you have with that product.
This must be a way for them to wash money.