The NBA is intensifying its discussions with FIBA, basketball's global governing body, to explore ways of expanding its competitive presence in Europe.
According to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, these talks could lead to the creation of an annual tournament or even a full-fledged NBA-operated league on the continent.
While conversations about basketball's future in Europe have been ongoing for decades, Silver emphasised that the current discussions are more focused and serious, particularly now that the league’s new media rights deals starting in the 2025-26 season are locked in.
This development has caught the attention of industry experts, including Corey Leff, founder of JohnWallStreet, who delved into the implications and potential of such an expansion.
What he said:
“Technically, the NBA started this effort years ago with NBA China. Of course, geopolitics have slowed growth in Asia.
And three years ago, the league stood up the Basketball Africa League in partnership with FIBA. But Africa is a slow growth market.
Europe and the Middle East have the potential to fulfill comparable economic promise over a shorter time period.
The NBA has the resources, business acumen, influence, and platforms (see: new deal with Amazon, which now gives it a global content distribution platform) to properly monetize strategic markets in Europe. That includes the lucrative mixed-use real estate opportunities that come with improving the venue situation.
“OVG, AEG, and ASM are all really active in Europe,” one source reminded.
The NBA also has the ability to bundle a new property’s content and IP with its existing assets, which should help to maximize values (see: WNBA rights).
And it’s not as if the NBA owners are going to be funding this new entity and its losses on their own. They have existing relationships with several private equity and sovereign wealth funds.
The NBA does believe a new standalone league will eventually become profitable.
‘The younger generation of Europeans relate to basketball, and particularly the urban culture that comes with it,” one source said. “And that demographic is beginning to generate and spend income.’
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