Adam Silver, NBA teasing possible EuroLeague expansion
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The idea of NBA expansion has been one of the most discussed topics between the media and Commissioner Adam Silver in recent years. Whether it’s during NBA Summer League or the NBA Finals, Silver is always questioned about the league’s thoughts on possible expansion. Although it seems inevitable that a 31st and 32nd team will be added to the NBA in the next several years, Silver and the league are focused on possible expansion ventures outside the United States, specifically in Europe.
Just this past summer, the Team USA versus Team France game in the Olympics gold medal match captured the attention of every sports fan in the world. The commissioner even went as far as to call this event a “fantastic showing for the sport of basketball.”
Before Thursday’s NBA Paris Game between the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs, Silver held a press conference to discuss several ventures the NBA is exploring with France and European basketball as a whole. The biggest topic of discussion revolved around the NBA exploring the possibility of a new league in Europe.
“From the NBA’s standpoint, we continue to explore opportunities that may exist to continue to develop the basketball infrastructure here,” Silver said on Thursday. “In the past, I’ve talked about our exploration of a potential league here. I’d say, to the extent that we are looking at that opportunity, it’d be one piece of a larger approach to basketball throughout Europe.
“Anything we do would include a partnership with FIBA, although there aren’t agreements in place right now. We are still in the exploratory stage.”
The NBA seeking to invest in and be involved with European basketball is nothing new.
Silver has spoken multiple times about how the game of basketball is ever-growing, and he even took a moment to highlight that many of the recent NBA MVPs like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic have come to the league from Europe.
One of the NBA’s main goals is to continue building its global atmosphere, and the idea of creating a new league in Europe that would be governed by Silver and the NBA is certainly something that is being examined.
“We are looking very closely to see if there’s an opportunity to professionalize the game to another level here to create a larger commercial opportunity.”
At this moment, there are no deals in place or contracts being drafted for the NBA to create a new European-based league. Much like ongoing expansion talks in the United States, this is simply an idea that the league office is doing more research on with the hopes of forming something new down the line.
For now, the NBA remains open to generating a more diverse international following. This is why Silver wants to take the NBA to other countries during the regular season, as well as find new ways to implement aspects of European basketball in the league.
Adam Silver pushes for international basketball growth
Aside from discussing the future and the possibility of a new European basketball league forming in partnership with the NBA, Silver discussed how he envisions more regular season games being played overseas.
The NFL has seen growing interest through its international ventures in recent years, hence why the NBA is expected to follow suit. One of the next countries on Silver’s list is Germany, which also holds great NBA interest like France.
“Stay tuned! We’re looking very closely at potentially bringing a regular-season game to Germany,” Silver stated. “It is something our office in Europe is concentrating on at this precise time.”
International basketball has grown exponentially in recent years, an we have seen a massive uptick in the potential and talent coming overseas from Europe to play in the NBA. This growing interest and demand for the NBA overseas is the driving force behind the league debating new opportunities like forming a Europe-based league and potentially scheduling more games like the Germany scenario Silver discussed.
Silver and league representatives met with numerous stakeholders this week to gauge interest in a new European league. While these were simply preliminary discussions, Silver claims the reaction has been very positive and that there is more to this than just basketball.
“The NBA is a unique league in my mind in that of course we represent the best basketball and with the WNBA the best women's basketball, but it's also a lifestyle brand, and I think that's something that comes up in many of the meetings, that there's a strong association with music, with fashion, with culture, with art,” Silver continued. “I think there's a real appreciation for that, that the NBA is even something a little bit different than basketball, than just pure basketball.
“I think that the notion we've heard back is that if you can bring those elements of the NBA brand and bring those to Europe as part of some structured league potentially. We think there's a real opportunity.”
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