The NBA could quickly considerably increase its presence in Europe, partnering with basketball’s world governing physique, Fiba, on a brand new league that the edges have been discussing for a few years.
Specifics are few, with the preliminary goal – for now – a 16-team league. However the announcement made on Thursday by NBA commissioner Adam Silver and Fiba secretary normal Andreas Zagklis is a serious step ahead after a protracted course of.
The league would in all probability use Fiba guidelines, reminiscent of a 40-minute recreation as an alternative of the NBA’s 48-minute mannequin, Silver mentioned. However a lot of the opposite particulars – such because the groups and the place they’d play – will probably be decided within the months forward.
“We really feel now could be the time to maneuver to that subsequent stage,” Silver mentioned, noting that NBA homeowners supplied “enthusiastic help” for such a transfer.
The NBA and Fiba, the game’s international governing physique, have been in discussions for a while about including both an annual competitors in Europe or having an NBA-operated league there. It was a subject at a Board of Governors assembly this previous September, one the place Zagklis took half.
“Popping out of essentially the most profitable World Cup and Olympics ever, we additionally consider it’s the proper time to take the following step for membership basketball,” Zagklis mentioned.
In January, when the league took benefit of the journey to France to satisfy with European stakeholders, Silver mentioned he believes the NBA stays “on monitor” within the means of increasing its footprint in Europe. That was additionally when he mentioned the league’s governors can be briefed additional on the March assembly.
“The response we’ve gotten from {the marketplace} could be very constructive,” Silver mentioned.
Zagklis mentioned Fiba’s management additionally unanimously agrees that it’s the best time to companion with the NBA on a brand new league.
“Our function as a federation is to unite the basketball ecosystem,” Zagklis mentioned.
It’s unclear how the brand new competitors would match into the present construction of European basketball, which has quite a lot of thriving and well-supported leagues throughout the continent.
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