European and global league possibilities

[Crow]

Has there really been any progress in the last year over the initial concept? What?


Any potential ownership group begun work / revved up a new arena plan? Gotten a new deep pocket partner or massive new loan authority? Made a convincing study of ability to support expenditures at some significant multiple of the top money losing examples in european history?

Will any potential owner publicly walk away saying the aak was too much? I expect some will walk but I don't know how soon or how outspokenly.

[Crow]

Is the NBA going to secure its WNBA future?

Are they able to handle WNBA, NBA Europe and expansion back to back to back?

[Crow]

I haven't heard any public mention of a potential London franchise owner. Have you?

Any mention of anyone new for German cities? Any direct, significant statements from the Euroleague and former Euroleague team who stepped down in competition?

Any credible deep pocket owner ready to take a franchise in Italy?

If it is a good idea, why are the Spanish teams silent and unmoved? Weren't they waiting for something like this?

[Crow]

Does NBA really think they can do well in Greece and Turkey with one team? Either ripping up the main rivalry or sitting outside it?

NBA Europe with Serbia as only a contingent wildcard?

[Crow]

Is the NBA's dream timeline:

pocket $8-16 billion from 16 franchises

then negotiate media deal

then take 50% of league revenue forever?


Why are media companies going to offer a large multiple of previous deals for an unproven audience?


How could they get a media deal before they have teams? Could it be concurrent?

Is the NBA hoping for a $1.5 billion media deal? More or less?

Are ownership groups satisfied paying franchise fees if they get 50% of that? 1/16 of $750 million is less than $60 million.
Is that enough?

How much can / will local team revenue expand over Euroleague average and best cases?

[Crow]

If NBA Europe were a raging success, could there be a time where many or all teams demand a renegotiation on NBA share or threaten to walk away?

If they could walk away and make half or more of what NBA Europe is doing to league level, they would have same the same revenue. Similar revenue might be worth similar franchise value, apart from any cache with NBA affiliation, if it persists.
Yet another European league would be unlikely unless the Euroleague is gone. Bumping back into the EuroLeague might be possible depending on how strong it is in particular markets. Team mergers are hypothetical possibilities. If Euroleague is gone, it could potentially be replaced.


Will prospective owners began to act as a block even before any deals are made? Strategically they "should". With or without announcing it?

[Crow]

Franchise fees for NBA Europe will probably be lower if Euroleague remains as a competitor and a viable one.

[Crow]

The Euroleague could get into UK before NBA Europe if they wanted to. They haven't and haven't shown interest in doing so and probabky rightfully so. But could. For obstruction or leverage.

[Crow]

It is known that the NBA wants big, modern, in most cases new arenas. Folks who find a way to build new arenas usually want to do extensive real estate purchases & developments around them. That will affect who they select as partners but not necessarily in an obvious way. Pick a new owner with super deep pockets or local ties helpful to win the arena and the development permits & zoning against likely opposition of some kind? Having both advantages would be desirable.


What if anything will leak about the next round of more serious talks? Not much has to date. Maybe potential owners who don't currently have teams will get at least publicly rumored. Some might seek it, some won't. What if anything the NBA wants to leak I don't know. I'd think they'd be under some pressure to show progress toward decisions.

Will any "insist" on dealing directly with Silver? Probably not at this stage but eventually.

Fully executed franchise deals by June? By September? Announced agreements pending processing or final details? Finalists? Bidding? More talks?

[Crow]

NBA & FIBA making a big deal about play your way in wildcards.

Will probably have to spend a lot more than currently to get in, without any rationale for more revenues in that year. What share of revenue if any after get in? In for how long?

[Crow]

"... what they have maintained throughout is that if we play in the NBA competition for one year, the financial revenue will be similar or at least comparable to that of the permanent franchises."

[Crow]

"According to a report by Tom Friend in Sports Business Journal, the league hopes to greenlight NBA Europe during its next Board of Governors meeting in March, 'assuming the bids overseas next month are attractive in terms of money and scope.'"


"The BOG was informed Friday that JP Morgan and The Raine Group have staged mostly positive meetings with more than 70 potential investors and -- consistent with what NBA Commissioner Adam Silver mentioned last week at the NBA Cup in Las Vegas -- the league’s goal is to entertain non-binding bids in January."

[Crow]

More rumbles from government officials.

Seems pretty likely some with try to reject league elements or impose rules & conditions on league or specific franchise owners. Will they be successful? How much will it slow things down? How much has NBA anticipated this, ore P are responses? Expect to win in public debate or courts?

Will Trump or lower US officials weigh in at some point?

[Crow]

Seems likely that the number of Euroleague teams joining NBA Europe will be between 0 and 4. Outside chance of 6. But regardless of this number, it seems almost certain that the leagues will compete for at least some period.

More relatively top level jobs could mean less talent available for the lower leagues and some might suffer from that, immediately and long-term.

Talent left for UK local league? Probably not good, not enough. Failure in the cards?


Should NBA Europe have BCL "B teams" in long-run? Maybe.

[Crow]

Non-bidding bids next month? An unusual sounding concept. Could sort finalists.