The NBA’s European league plans are moving into another round of discussions, this time with some of the biggest names in soccer.
Executives from AC Milan, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are expected to hold talks with NBA officials Tuesday, according to Mark Kleinman of Sky News.
The club executives will be in London for Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony. Sky News reported that the discussions could take place in person or remotely.
The talks come as the NBA works toward selling 12 franchises for a European basketball league targeted to launch in late 2027. Four additional teams would participate annually through a merit-based qualification system.
Potential investors have been in discussions for more than six months, with franchise prices reaching hundreds of millions of dollars. A London franchise could command as much as $1 billion, according to Sky News.
Those figures give some indication of the scale of the project. The NBA is pursuing a substantial business investment in European basketball, with established sports brands among the prospective participants.
But the negotiations have become more complicated amid the NBA’s attempt to acquire EuroLeague. Its latest offer was rejected by EuroLeague’s 13 shareholder clubs, leaving the NBA and FIBA to continue pursuing their new competition.
Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid already participate in EuroLeague, putting them at the center of discussions about what European basketball could look like next.
Tuesday’s talks will give the NBA another chance to make its case directly to clubs with established fan bases, international recognition and, in several cases, an existing stake in the competition it hopes to challenge or acquire.
Looking for the latest NBA Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow Hoops Wire on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NBA News and Rumors for all 30 teams!
