This week, the NBA’s board of governors will hold a meeting where team owners are set to deliberate a proposal to initiate a new basketball league in Europe. This initiative was reported by Sportico.

Earlier this year, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver conveyed the league’s intentions in Paris, noting that they would provide further updates to the owners later this month. While basketball enjoys substantial popularity in Europe, Silver highlighted that “the commercial opportunity has not kept pace with the growth of the game.” He emphasized, “the market is ready to do more in this sport.”

Several details are included in the report from Sportico:

• The prospective league could feature eight to 10 franchises, with a semi-open proposal that allows up to four positions for the leading EuroLeague teams, like Real Madrid and Olympiacos from Greece, to join the NBA’s European league in subsequent years.

• Franchises are expected to be sold to external investors, with the NBA claiming 50% equity, mirroring the previous structure for the WNBA.

During his visits in Paris, Silver expressed a desire for the new league to encompass a broad representation from various countries, possibly incorporating existing teams, stating, “There’s a rich history and tradition in European basketball that we aim to respect.”

Analysis:

The potential cities being considered for this new European league include London, Paris, Manchester, Berlin, and Munich. NBA officials are inclined to offer franchise ownership to outside investors, including sovereign wealth funds and existing European basketball clubs, rather than limiting it to internal competition.