From the HERE City National Desk
The NBA’s plan to build a new league in Europe hit a snag this week when EuroLeague club owners turned down a formal offer to merge into a single European operation.
The decision was made Tuesday in Cernobbio, Italy, at a gathering of the EuroLeague’s 13 shareholder clubs, which include Barça, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Olympiakos, Milan, ASVEL and two Istanbul clubs. Barça confirmed the rejection Wednesday, saying the clubs turned down the NBA proposal as it currently stands and would reconsider if it were amended.
It is not clear how each club voted, though reports said a supermajority of owners opposed the offer. The NBA proposal reportedly included a requirement that the EuroLeague pause its planned expansion. The 20-team league wants to grow to as many as 24 teams by the 2027-28 season, and some of its target markets overlap with cities the NBA wants.
At the same meeting, the owners agreed to move ahead with converting the clubs’ current 10-year licenses into franchises and to keep pursuing more franchises.
The NBA, working with FIBA, is aiming for a 16-team European league that could launch as soon as 2027, with a mix of permanent members and teams that move up through promotion and relegation. Negotiations between the two sides are expected to continue, and a significant number of EuroLeague teams have reportedly expressed interest in joining NBA Europe.
