The NBA’s push into Europe has hit some resistance. But the conversation isn’t over.
EuroLeague’s shareholder clubs rejected the NBA’s current proposal to combine into a single European operation, Barcelona confirmed to The Associated Press.
The decision came Tuesday during a meeting of the competition’s 13 shareholder clubs in Cernobbio, Italy. Barcelona’s statement left room for another offer.
“Among those decisions was the rejection of the NBA’s proposal as it currently stands. Should that proposal be amended in the future, the clubs and the EuroLeague will reconsider it,” the club said.
So the NBA has its answer on this proposal. Whether it comes back with something more appealing is the next question.
The AP reported that individual clubs’ votes weren’t disclosed. EuroLeague declined to comment beyond its initial statement about the meeting, which didn’t mention the NBA. The NBA didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile, EuroLeague owners are moving ahead with their own changes. They agreed to pursue converting the shareholder clubs’ current 10-year licenses into franchises and continue plans to expand the number of franchises.
That leaves two ambitious projects taking shape. The NBA and FIBA have been exploring a 16-team European league, with October 2027 targeted as a potential launch date. EuroLeague currently has 20 teams, including its 13 shareholder clubs.
Those established clubs include Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Tony Parker-owned ASVEL. Getting them on board would give the NBA recognizable names and existing fan bases.
Getting them to agree to the terms is proving to be another matter.
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