The coming weeks are critical for the future of European basketball. On October 5, the EuroLeague has convened a meeting at Lake Como, to which the heads of its shareholder clubs—including Panathinaikos and Olympiacos—are invited. According to the Italian newspaper “Gazzetta dello Sport,” a potential proposal from the NBA to acquire the EuroLeague may be presented at this meeting.
Next Monday, the NBA Owners’ Association will meet, and discussions with the EuroLeague are among the items on the agenda. A potential acquisition proposal from the NBA would force EuroLeague owners to make a critical decision regarding the future direction of the competition.
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It should be noted that the EuroLeague has already presented its own expansion plan, which includes increasing the number of participating teams and creating franchises with permanent membership. The process has already attracted interest, with bids for participation rights reportedly totaling 700 million euros (including PAOK’s bid). EuroLeague CEO Chus Bueno, has made it clear, however, that a partnership with the NBA remains a possibility, but also that the European league is prepared to move forward independently if no agreement is reached.
The NBA, for its part, has been developing its own European venture for months now, NBA Europe, which is expected to launch in 2027 with an initial 16 teams and expansion into major markets not currently served by the EuroLeague, such as London, Berlin, and Rome. Several teams (including AEK) or investment funds have submitted bids to establish franchises, with some offers exceeding $1 billion!
In any case, we are on the verge of developments and decisions that will reshape the landscape of European basketball.
*photo source: KYPE
