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There was a previous Euroleague thread stub. I had some business ideas but I decided to hold off on them and maybe pitch them directly to Euroleague later.

The general question of possible collaboration with NBA has always had, as DarkStar48 previously noted, a logistical problem of teams-atlantic travel. But a new idea came to me.

What if the Russian teams were at least temporarily replaced by a team of all American players, mostly based in Europe? It wouldn't be NBA, unless they offered a G league select team for the venture.

Base them in France or Germany in a non-Euroleague city for practice and most home games. Play a handful back in US.

Euroleague vs. all-Yanks. Could you sell more tickets or boost TV / streaming viewership? I'd guess yes but what is your opinion (especially from any European readers)?

Try for US broadcast or pay per view and / or a reality TV show (with some travel focus and personal stories).

That's my redo on this for now. The idea could be tried for a year or two or long-term if successful.

This thought has crossed my mind honestly.

So much so that Amsterdam could be an ideal location for US players to come to in this sense. Its also easy to travel from and with the current presence of the BNXT League its actually a potential ideal fit.

NBA interest in Wembanyama game video could be an entry point for further discussion of this idea.

If Euroleague wants to promote "fun" as recently stated, 3 points for dunks would be one easy and presumably popular change. Move back 3 point line? Might not want to conflict with FIBA and the various other leagues but I might anyways. Too many 3s in today's game though I haven't seen a 3pt rate comparision between NBA and Euroleague. Maybe I'll look for that if nobody steps up with it.

Adam Silver is in France and apparently having more serious talks about doing something in Europe.

I am not immediately sure of the perfect long-term plan but kinda tired of talk and delay.

The all -American team in Euroleague above has pros and cons. Thinking about it, I doubt the existing teams would go for it, as it would likely would be viewed as imbalanced competition, especially without a salary cap.

There should be other options to do something.

I might start in just France instead of trying something with all of Europe right away.

Allow NBA teams to take minority takes in ProA teams and offer improved operating funds. Maybe with 4-8 teams. If for some reason they don't want to do it at team levels, do it league to league.

Allow player loans in first 2 years of service, for a month at a time up to full season from that NBA team or others with approval. Get a modest package of games on a US network to generate some improved revenue, more viewership to build market. Do it for 2-3 years and learn some stuff. Re-evaluate.

Probably allow or encourage select pre-draft 17 or 18 year olds to use those teams. Americans or otherwise. Similar to NBL rising star idea but much greater volume.

"Silver said Tuesday that one thing the league must figure out is how to come into that region in a way that is not hostile to the existing infrastructure."

I don't know about the wisdom of that. If the structure isn't working in the eyes of many teams.


My new attempt at the opportunity would start with premises:

Get North Americans to watch European basketball.

Get Asians to watch European basketball.

Possibly get other world regions to watch European basketball.

Get global corporations to partner with the league in some fashion.

On the fly composition:

Make it a summer league.

Combine players of Euroleague and possibly other leagues with American players on a voluntary basis with adequate incentives to get 30-80 players.

I don't know how many regular season games but say 24-32. Then playoffs. Single elimination or best of 3 or a combination.

12-16 teams. Maybe identified by country. UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Serbia, Greece, Russia, Japan, China (maybe several teams), US (maybe several teams by region), Canada, Mexico, Brazil or Argentina, Phillipines or Singapore or India. Maybe Africa. Leave out the least cooperative.

Partner with a global reach media company for global rights deal. Give TNT a chance with everybody else. If there are local media partners, they are secondary to the global company with must have digital platform.

Salaries would depend on revenue but try to make it attractive for top talent, even allowing 2nd half of season deals.

Ownership a partnership between NBA, global corporate sponsors, media company, investors, country team owners who want to be involved and feed their players (1 or more from each country).

This is initially considered as add on. Don't play in Olympic and World Championship years, at least til it is proven and possibly surpasses those.

Whatever you want to do on new rules. What I've proposed previously or otherwise. Or use FIBA or Euroleague rules.

10-12 man teams. Variable salaries commensurate with role and stature and marketing value.

Each country team gets some regional priority picks from pool of interested players then draft the rest. Mixed region or preminiantly one country at the discretion of those teams. Maybe NBA abd international teams partner to fill and manage teams.

Who manages? Not sure. Probably specific existing team owners or really well vetted newcomers.

Try to use Vegas summer league as a kick off event? Maybe.

Timing games could be tricky. Somebody else figure that out. But digital re-runs would be part of the plan.

Fan giveaways. Give away tickets or even trips to playoffs to fans. Ticket holders, subscribers or even free viewers.

Incorporate some level of "one world" social media.

Consider alliance with football teams, especially those with basketball programs.

Ref body cams.

Celebrity halftime entertainment and VIP seating hoopla.

Maybe teams have to have at least one American and non-American Coach. NBA assistants or current or former players looking for opportunity and providing another reason for interest and encourage basketball communication and cross-polination.

36 minute games to reduce wear on players. Games in a 3-4 days of the week window to allow downtime / travel / etc.

Games could be played in one location per country or several. Whatever builds support and revenue.

Ne jerseys and other merchandise of course.

Call it NBA World League or whatever.

Can't get it pencil out as a league? Try a test tournament of smaller scale. But actually try something new.

The 3 parties still talking but nothing revealed.

I doubt all 3 come to an agreement.

Probably NBA goes it without FIBA or Euroleague agreement or pauses on the idea for 3+ years. Maybe some existing individual teams join the effort, maybe not.

If NBA does go it alone a 8 team league might be plausible. 2 UK, 2 France, 1 Germany, 1 Italy, 2 Spain or if Spain doesn't participate, extras go in other northern European countries.

I'd guess it doesn't happen anytime soon. No sense at all that they have the business side figured out or the basketball side.

Unless they pay to get a significant number of NBA players involved, I don't see much point. Only makes sense if corporate interest is very strong and immediate.

But maybe something meaningful gets said in 3-6 months.

Or maybe make it a 23 or 24 and under league.

Possibly a summer league.

Make talent identification and development the main goal over making money.

Maybe loan G league players and players assigned to G league. Maybe cut the G league calendar by 1/3rd or more. Perhaps an early season on one continent, a later on the other.

Do something like that for 3 years and modify if you want and then evaluate. Over doing nothing.

Compete with existing euro teams and college teams. Figure out what if any advantages you can offer players.

Coaches with NBA playing and / or coaching experience. Maybe less practice and more physical development. Maybe 10 day contracts in NBA for top performers. Lined up commercial side deals. Better services.

Vote by NBA owners on a new european league speculated this week. At least discussion.

Not sure how many details are set.

Seem to have some idea of what they want to sell franchises for (or 50% stakes) though. The main interest.

Not sure they are waiting on agreements from FIBA or Euroleague anymore if they are voting.

But wait n see what comes out.

They could certainly defer a vote after discussion. And that seems likely to me.

Who is most in favor? Who is not interested? Why? Dolan, to the attack here?

Assume they will be given some sense of projected startup and ongoing operating costs. And operating revenues?

Sharing of costs and revenues or just ownership?


doubt they could justify more than 2 games per week.


Zero mention of media company involvement. Could be hidden but could simply not exist at this time. Highly doubt success without major media partner.

Can they get prime broadcasts slots & viewers? Broadcast or all digital? NBATV?

Apple, Amazon, TNT or ? Fox? Any German prospect? Middle Eastern owned media?

Assume the proposal has thousands of hours of research & development? Will it look like it?

It has been mentioned that they have already talked to investors. No mention of talks with advertisers but surely there has been some? Commitments?

Might certain NBA owners seek individual ownership shares & control?

How active would NBA itself be in business and basketball decisions?

Trump re: Europe impact?

Schedule overlap with NBA?

Free agency? After NBA? 1 year or multi-year deals? Draft?

Have previously mentioned options for player sharing or loans.

Would NBA seek 50% ownership of any existing teams accepted into new league?

I don't know. Maybe. Probably seek. Maybe less, maybe exceptions. But hard to see huge franchise fees and / or 50% NBA ownership stakes for new teams and nothing for others.

There may be a distinction between ownership of league and ownership of teams. Lots not clear. How TV rights would be owned and their revenue distributed among them. NBA skim a share of TV revenues off the top?

The concept of play in teams for playoffs is a new wrinkle to try to finesse those not invited all the way in. Such a feature would seem to make it a traditional season timetable... and make it compete at same time as NBA, largely or entirely. Suggests at least 3 round playoffs, maybe 4.

For a big, bigger than now show, they better have better players than Euroleague has had. And more "appealing" to fans? Which fans? Which continents?

what do NBA media partners think of this development / potential distraction from their product? Are they going to be given 1st chance at broadcast rights? Are they interested / able? Is TNT or others?

Either the planning has been secret and deep or it hasn't been that deep. Time is begin to find out.

Thinking more that NBA Europe i indeed, as previously considered, intended to fight NCAA to some degree. How aggressively? The internationalization move or the entire professionalization?

Apparently meeting is today or at least starts today.

Will continue to check for more information releases.


Will the new teams tend to draw coaches and front offices (including analytics) more from European teams, NBA or brand new? Former players at top or analytic sharps? Wonder about a few specific names but broad wonder will increase if and as reality develops.

Moving forward but almost no firm details.

"Initial speculation suggests that each franchise participating in the new competition will have to contribute $250 million."

If so, who will actually do it? Lump sum or over time? Themselves or with new partners?

Still early stage but now people will expect more.

Zero mention of player pay scale.

Teams averaging or capped at $20 million, $50 million or more?

Contracts required for full seasons?

If pay scale is way above G league, do most jump? Jump after 1-2 months? Allowed, frowned upon or blocked?

IF they were to start play by fall 2026, when would they need to settle and act on things?

Details of design
Team list
Arena contracts
Owner awards / payments
Broadcast right awards
Staff signings
Player signings
Organizational facilities
Schedule
Promotion

Most of these by not later than fall 2025 or could it be later?

Board of Governors to approve detailed design 3-6-9 months ahead of final executions?

I would think 2027 is more likely but I guess timing could be affected by speed of a potential new competitive product to market or speed of Euroleague to react / change / compete better.

Which arenas are locked up with no-compete in basketball language?

European teams suggested for inclusion could say:

We're not paying to join. Individually or collectively.

Or we aren't paying much or up front or without extended revenue guarantees.

Or we'll pay money in some amount & on some schedule but not accepting the suggested equity split or any sharing of teams themselves.

Wonder how much either side has revealed about their intended position.

Could end up that NBA Europe gets no legacy teams.

Lots to calculate and negotiate.


New league speculators could potentially offer some form of alliance with part or all of the Euroleague. It could a short-term temporary alliance. Extending Euroleague play or being considered side cup(s).