The NBA has experienced a significant drop in viewership this season. It has prompted the league to explore various strategies to address the issue. One of the key moves under discussion is a potential collaboration with Amazon to reschedule the In-Season Tournament to align with the NFL season.
Additionally, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed interest in expanding the league by introducing a team in Mexico City. The NBA is also exploring the possibility of forming a new league in partnership with FIBA.
FIBA’s secretary general, Andreas Zagklis, addressed the issue in his year-end news conference on Monday. Zagklis confirmed ongoing discussions with the NBA regarding a competition that could rival the EuroLeague and top domestic leagues in Europe.
REPORT: FIBA and the NBA are in ‘serious talks’ about starting a new league that could “compete with the EuroLeague and top pro leagues in individual countries.”
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“There is clear interest (by the NBA) and there are ongoing discussions with FIBA. We’ve been having and will continue having discussions with the company that operates the EuroLeague,” Zagklis said.
“It is something that has been on our radar. We tried to bring everyone together. This was not possible. So our job is to continue having serious conversations with our partners at the NBA,” he added.
Andreas Zagklis Discusses The NBA’s Potential European League And Ecosystem Protection
The EuroLeague has long been regarded as the premier basketball league outside of the NBA. However, recent discussions suggest that the NBA may be considering launching its own European league. Andreas Zagklis addressed this possibility while sharing the need to preserve the integrity of the existing basketball ecosystem.
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“We want the growth of our sport, but at the same time we want to protect what are the fundamentals of our ecosystem, which can not only relate to the rules, of course, and the calendar, but it is a question of respecting the national teams, the national leagues,” Zagklis said.
The discussions between FIBA and the NBA signal the league’s growing interest in expanding its global footprint. However, any move to establish a European league would need to carefully balance innovation with respect for the existing structures.
