The NBA’s European project reportedly includes six EuroLeague teams: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Fenerbahce, Bayern, ASVEL, and Panathinaikos.
The NBA’s plans for a potential European competition reportedly include six current EuroLeague teams: Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Fenerbahce Tarfin Istanbul, FC Bayern Munich, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, and Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens.
According to Meridian Sport, those six clubs are among the teams the NBA is considering for its European project.
The list matches the cities that have previously been linked with the NBA’s plans. Madrid, Barcelona, Istanbul, Munich, Lyon, and Athens have all been mentioned as potential locations for the new competition.
EuroLeague CEO Chus Bueno recently made clear that the competition’s shareholder clubs want to approach any potential agreement with the NBA collectively, rather than allowing individual teams to negotiate separate terms.
“If they want to come into Europe and form an alliance with us, the clubs have to be part of this model and the financial terms have to be discussed,” Bueno told EFE.
“It is a discussion that is on the table. The clubs are open to joining, but they all want to be included, and they want to find the best formulas so they do not have to invest as much.”
EuroLeague wants all shareholder clubs included
One of the EuroLeague’s main conditions for any potential partnership is reportedly that all 13 shareholder clubs must be granted a place in the new structure.
The shareholder group currently consists of Anadolu Efes, Baskonia, CSKA, Olimpia Milan, Barcelona, Bayern, Fenerbahce, ASVEL, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Real Madrid, and Zalgiris.
Bueno warned that leaving some EuroLeague shareholders out of a potential deal could create even more fragmentation in European basketball.
“There are already clubs that have told me, ‘If you reach an agreement with the NBA and leave us out, we will create our own competition,'” Bueno noted.
“If we do not solve the problem for everyone, we will have more competitions, whatever they are called.”
While the EuroLeague rejected the NBA’s initial proposal, it has kept the door open for further negotiations.
At the same time, the competition continues to develop its own franchise model and expansion plans.
“EuroLeague and EuroCup are not going to disappear,” Bueno stressed.
The NBA Doesn’t Understand European Basketball
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Source: basketnews.com
