EuroLeague chief executive Chus Bueno said the competition is prepared to go it alone in Europe if it cannot reach a partnership with NBA Europe, the rival venture backed by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) that is due to launch in October 2027.
Bueno said that if a deal could not be reached in Europe, EuroLeague would compete in Europe on its own, describing it as a conclusion the league had reached internally and saying it was ready to proceed that way if needed. He pointed to the sponsorship and television contracts EuroLeague has already signed as evidence of its ability to stand alone.
Speaking to Reuters, Bueno said a partnership would have to work for both sides, not just one of them.
He said EuroLeague recognised that the NBA could help with running the competition, so the league should follow the NBA's operating model, but that the NBA in turn had to respect the local intellectual property and brand value built up by clubs that have been part of the European scene for a century and that also have much to offer the NBA.
NBA's proposals and target cities
The NBA has received multiple bids within and above the range of $500 million to $1 billion (roughly 2.56 billion to 5.13 billion reais at current exchange rates) for each of its 12 target cities. Those proposals include offers from more than 20 existing basketball and football clubs, many of which currently compete in EuroLeague.
In July, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the hope was to create some form of consolidation of European basketball, adding that he remained optimistic that goal could be reached. Silver has led the NBA since 2014 and has repeatedly pushed to expand the league's footprint outside the United States.
According to NBA deputy commissioner and chief operating officer Mark Tatum, the plan for NBA Europe includes a FIBA Basketball Champions League and, eventually, a pathway for the winners of European leagues to enter the NBA Cup, the NBA's annual in-season tournament.
Fragmentation risk if no deal is reached
Bueno said a partnership between EuroLeague and the NBA could overcome some of the main obstacles standing in the way of a unified competition, should an agreement be signed.
He warned that having two separate leagues would fragment value, both institutionally and commercially, affecting media rights and fan attendance at arenas.
Despite the challenges, Bueno said both organisations were pressing ahead with their plans, whether jointly or separately. He said both sides had agreed that if they failed to reach a deal, each would continue with its own plans, and that the NBA was continuing its process while he was continuing with his.
NBA Europe is expected to feature 16 teams, made up of 12 permanent franchises and four places filled through annual qualifying tournaments.
Analyst predicts a fight for star players
Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing analyst, said he believed NBA Europe would draw many of the continent's top players away from EuroLeague.
He said he would not bet against NBA Europe in a competition with EuroLeague, given the NBA's enormous financial resources, brand recognition and star power.
Dorfman said that with so many international stars already playing in the NBA in the United States, it would be reasonable to expect the best European players to choose NBA Europe instead, where salaries would be higher and the style of play more open, favouring individual success.
EuroLeague's own expansion plans
EuroLeague, for its part, intends to expand from 20 to 24 teams for the 2027-28 season, when 21 clubs will become permanent franchises. The competition's 13 current shareholder licences will convert into franchises at no additional cost.
The organisation will award up to eight new long-term franchises in cities where it hopes to grow its presence.
Bueno named Paris, London, Milan and Naples as major cities where EuroLeague wants to explore the possibility of placing franchises. He said there were currently 12 binding proposals on the table, with a combined value of just over 800 million euros (nearly 4.8 billion reais) in fees.
Season opener and reigning champion
EuroLeague, founded in 2000, is Europe's top-tier professional basketball competition. It will open its regular season with a match between Real Madrid, an 11-time champion, and Dubai of the United Arab Emirates, on the 24th.
Olympiacos is the reigning champion after beating Real Madrid in last season's final to win its fourth title.
