NBA and EuroLeague line up fresh talks over compromise deal

The NBA and EuroLeague are set for further meetings, perhaps as soon as next week, amid growing hopes of a resolution to their rift over a new European basketball league.

The US giant and its European counterpart had been at loggerheads for months over the plans for NBA Europe to launch in 2027 and potentially poach EuroLeague’s biggest teams.

But the appointment in January of former NBA executive Chus Bueno as EuroLeague’s CEO has eased tensions between the parties and revived talks over a compromise deal.

If successful, it could see the EuroLeague built into the NBA Europe ecosystem while paving the way for top clubs including Real Madrid and Barcelona to join the new franchise competition.

Multiple sources told City AM that fresh talks between the NBA and EuroLeague could take place in Spain next week. NBA sources indicated it may take until later this month.

It comes after the deadline passed earlier this week for potential investors to lodge initial, non-binding bids for the 12 permanent franchises in NBA Europe.

London, as expected, attracted the most interest, with the NBA and its advisers receiving several bids in excess of $1bn and others in the $500m-$1bn range, insiders said.

Silver: NBA-EuroLeague deal is ‘best outcome’

NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke last week of his encouragement at EuroLeague’s willingness to find a mutually beneficial solution to the long-running stand-off. 

“I think for the betterment of European basketball, the best outcome would be if we came together with the EuroLeague here and that we came up with a systematic approach to growing the game throughout Europe,” said Silver. 

“That means complementing the country leagues, working together with the EuroLeague and working together with our federation, Fiba.”

EuroLeague chiefs are understood to be pleasantly surprised by what they see as a softening in the NBA’s approach, having grown frustrated last year at a perceived lack of cooperation. 

In a boost to its negotiating position, EuroLeague and its 20 clubs – who also include teams in Paris, Munich, Athens, Istanbul and Dubai – were valued at €3.2bn by merchant bank JB Capital last month.

Bidders for NBA Europe franchises included sovereign wealth funds, private equity, high net worth individuals and existing basketball clubs, sources said.

Among the organisations expected to offer for teams were RedBird Capital, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Qatar Sports Investments.