Advertisement - scroll for more content
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement - scroll for more content
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Silver, the NBA commissioner, is working to stand up a new league in Europe through the deep pockets of sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East, traditional investment firms in the U.S. and Europe, powerhouse European soccer clubs, and a lucrative media rights deal. To begin with, it will be a 16-team league, with 12 teams holding permanent licenses and the other four spots open to virtually any pro team on the continent that can win enough to qualify. The NBA is targeting London, Rome, Paris, Milan, Berlin, Munich, Barcelona, Madrid, Athens, Istanbul, Manchester (England) and Lyon (France) for cities with licensed, permanent teams.
Brian Windhorst: The Lakers were bought with Middle East money. I know that Mark Walter is the governor. I guess Jeanie Buss is the governor, but he is the controlling owner. But that group, Mark Walter's group, took on 10 billion dollars from Abu Dhabi shortly before. I don't work for the company, so I can't verify… But they took on $10 billion from Abu Dhabi and then three months later bought the Lakers for 10 billion. They actually bought it for six billion, but 10 billion valuation. The influx of that Middle Eastern money and the Lakers just swifted all the valuations. So maybe they knew that they could sell the team for 10 billion, but maybe they didn't think they could do that till 2035, but all of a sudden the Lakers are now worth a lot of money.
The NBA and Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism announced an extension of their partnership Thursday, with the league agreeing to continue bringing preseason games to the Middle East and the sides completing talks to launch a new global academy in the United Arab Emirates' capital for top boys players. Financial terms were not disclosed, though it's reasonable to expect that the nine-year extension would be worth well over $300 million — based on how the DCT agreed to pay the EuroLeague a reported 25 million euros ($29.2 million) to play host to that league's Final Four last year.
Currently, NBA rules restrict sovereign wealth funds from owning greater than 20 percent of any of the league’s 30 teams. But for years, the league has nurtured relationships with controlling rulers, governments and investment funds from the Middle East, through numerous exhibition games both for NBA teams and USA Basketball in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. A new European league could be the way for those investors to eventually break through in the American game.
George Aivazoglou, NBA’s Managing Director for Europe and the Middle East, on NBA Europe: “There has been tremendous momentum since we made the joint announcement. Our commissioner, Adam Silver, and the Secretary-General of FIBA, Andreas Zagklis, have been working relentlessly since March. We are in a very advanced phase of this exploratory stage. We hired two advisory banks in the summer — JP Morgan and Raine — and we are having productive discussions with many stakeholders: investors, clubs and other actors. We are at a very advanced level of progress in the project.”
Advertisement
Also, while speaking about the markets with permanent franchises, he named seven countries. “In phase one, our plan is Spain, UK, France, Italy, Germany, maybe Turkey, and maybe Greece. But there will be some open spots in the ecosystem, so in the early phase, they will be able to qualify,” he replied to a question about NBA Europe featuring teams from Israel and the Middle East, which, for the moment, can’t aim for a permanent spot.
Silver, however, is focused on his Middle East partners in Abu Dhabi. How and where all the money might flow and the impact it could have remains to be seen. But what is known is that the connection between the NBA and the Middle East is real, and an expansion of the relationship is coming, and the league is shoring up support with rivals, both seen and unseen, across the region. "We are thinking about the long term, not just the next couple of years," Al Mubarak said. "I believe that this partnership with the NBA will outlive me."
Following the EuroLeague's statement, George Aivazoglou, NBA Europe and Middle East Managing Director, emphasized that the NBA remains open to a partnership with the EuroLeague. "In collaboration with FIBA, we continue to have good-faith discussions with the EuroLeague about a new model for European basketball that would accelerate the growth of the game, celebrate the rich basketball traditions in so many cities and countries, and better serve fans across the continent," Aivazoglou said in his statement.
Per Eurohoops sources, as the managing director of NBA Europe and the Middle East, George Aivazoglou, said in his recent interviews, it was repeated to EuroLeague clubs that the expected date for the new league to launch is the start of the 2027-28 season, and that it would include 16 teams, with 12 of them having long-term contracts and four more earning the right to play via qualification on an annual basis.
The NBA’s general manager for Europe and the Middle East, George Aivazoglou, shared details about the upcoming NBA Europe, expected to launch in 2027. Aivazoglou explained the planned structure and vision for NBA Europe, outlining how the league would operate and what makes it unique. “The earliest start would be October 2027. Our vision is a semi-open competition with 16 teams — 12 permanent franchises and 4 qualifying from other competitions, with the Basketball Champions League (organized by FIBA) as a central pathway,” he said per L'Equipe's Yan Ohnona
Advertisement
NBA executives have traditionally seen Europe, the Middle East and Africa as its most “time-zone challenged regions” and, for the past 13 consecutive seasons, have scheduled marquee weekend Eastern Time day games with those markets in mind. This year, the regular season will feature 88 overall games that will air in primetime in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) -- not just via Prime Video, but through all NBA media partners such as ABC/ESPN, NBC and NBA League Pass. Executives have said it is simpler to air NBA games in Asia, where a typical NBA night game can be seen in the morning there. But, elsewhere globally, the earlier U.S. start times are a must for ratings and exposure, considering the league sees superior numbers in France, for instance, when Wembanyama plays. Or in Greece when Giannis Antetokounmpo plays.
“I’d say it’s the single biggest opportunity (in Europe),” said George Aivazoglou, the NBA’s managing director for Europe and the Middle East (EME), speaking on stage at SportsPro Live at London’s Kia Oval last month. Details of the proposed new league are not yet fully defined, but the NBA’s laser-like focus on having teams in major European cities has been clear from the outset. In the UK, London and Manchester are being earmarked for representation in a 16-team competition that could also feature teams from Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Berlin, Munich, Rome, Milan and Istanbul, according to Aivazoglou, when he spoke to EuroHoops.
“Fans in Abu Dhabi will have the opportunity to see two of the NBA’s historic franchises when the Knicks and 76ers face off in October,” added George Aivazoglou, managing director of the NBA for Europe and Middle East, “We look forward to engaging fans and aspiring players from the local community and across the region for the fourth consecutive year, through our games and surrounding events.” In connection with the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, Abu Dhabi is set to host the Final Four of the 2024-25 season between May 23 and 25.
A familiar face appeared on a television while George King was enjoying some down time from playing pro basketball in the Middle East. To the American’s delight, it was Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, and King videotaped his ex-University of Colorado teammate with his cell phone. King is enjoying Morocco while playing in the Basketball Africa League, and like White, has NBA ties. “It’s funny. I have this video that I need to send to him,” King told Andscape on April 5 before practice. “I was in Lebanon at a restaurant and Derrick was on TV, and I taped myself watching him saying, ‘Yo, you are a global superstar all in Lebanon at this restaurant.’ He was doing some community event, kissing babies.”