LONDON (AP) — European basketball is often mired in rabid fan bases, bitter rivalries and financial troubles.
The Euroleague brings together several powerful territories. not excited about it NBA plans to create new competition on the continent.
That doesn’t matter either.
“We’ve only heard plans and fireworks about how great it’s going to be, how much potential it has,” EuroLeague CEO Paulus Motiejunas said of the NBA’s proposed league. “But having a theory is one thing, making it work is two.”
“We’ve lived here for 26 years. We know how Europe works.”
The EuroLeague, which includes clubs such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, is considered the premier men’s professional competition outside of the NBA. The 20-team league is made up of 13 “shareholder” clubs that are not affected by relegation. The rest qualify through domestic leagues or invitations.
The NBA is partnering with FIBA to consider a 16-team model with 12 permanent members. Aiming to start in October 2027. It names Athens, Istanbul, Paris, Lyon, Munich, Berlin, Rome, Milan, Madrid, Barcelona, London and Manchester as potential host cities.
Currently, three EuroLeague shareholder clubs have not renewed their 10-year licenses: Real Madrid, Istanbul’s Fenerbahce; tony parker Owned by ASVEL near Lyon. Parker expressed his support for the NBA.
Barcelona’s recent success has hinted that the club will extend the contract beyond this season for another 10 years.
“Of course this is a big deal, it’s an important brand and I’m happy that they are willing to work on it,” Motiejunas said of Barcelona, but Barcelona have not commented publicly.
Motijunas said in an interview with The Associated Press that he was confident all 13 clubs would remain.
“The NBA has been making announcements for a year, but it’s still not something we can figure out,” Motiejunas said. “As businessmen, they’re team owners, and they’re also starting to realize that the record of ‘I’ll announce it later’ is a little broken…The start of 27 years is already around the corner.”
The EuroLeague club reportedly has a 10 million euro (about $11.6 million) exit clause, but Motiejunas would only say that the contract could be broken by “consequences and legal teams.” There is no opt-out in the NBA, he added.
NBA vs. Euroleague?
EuroLeague maintains it remains open to forming some sort of relationship with the NBA. However, it also sent a letter to the NBA threatening legal action if negotiations with EuroLeague shareholders continue.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver dismissed that threat Thursday in Berlin before the Orlando Magic’s 118-111 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. NBA’s first regular season game in Germany.
He also ignored the EuroLeague more generally.
“If we thought the ceiling was the interest of the existing EuroLeague and its fans, we would not have invested as much time and attention into this project,” Silver said.
According to media reports, the NBA is seeking a franchise fee of at least $500 million. Silver noted that investors should be patient because “I think it’s going to take a while for it to become viable as a commercial company.” He added that it would take “decades” to realize that.
Silver warned that starting a new league was a “potentially huge undertaking” and said negotiations with Real Madrid and other Spanish clubs “are within the scope of fact-finding”.
european market
The European basketball situation is similar to soccer in that national leagues influence continental competitions. Euroleague is like UEFA’s Champions League. There are several other international basketball leagues, but they are less well-known than soccer leagues, causing confusion among fans. For example, FIBA has its own Basketball Champions League, which could be a feed into the NBA league.
Silver sees potential, as basketball is the second-largest sport in Europe after soccer.
“Rather than thinking we’re taking share (of soccer), we’re looking at the commercial side of basketball, which currently exists in Europe. Basketball probably accounts for about 1 percent of the commercial sports market,” he said.
Impact on the Middle East
Many basketball teams in Europe, including those in the EuroLeague, are struggling financially. The system often relied on wealthy owners to cover the team’s debts each year. EuroLeague has implemented spending limits to promote financial sustainability.
In a bid to boost revenue, EuroLeague won its first Final Four outside Europe last season in Abu Dhabi. Also brought a flavor of Eurohoops turmoil as majority owner of Panathinaikos Dimitris Giannakopoulos He was suspended for five games for “threatening behavior” towards the referee.
EuroLeague also granted a multi-year license to the newly formed Dubai team and recently extended its partnership with global sports marketing agency IMG.
“We focus on ourselves,” Motiejunas said. “We will be able to adapt, there is no question about that. We will continue to fight.”
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