NBA Europe: A disconnected project that threatens the identity of European basketball

The NBA is currently considering a significant expansion into Europe, with the potential creation of a new basketball league on the continent. This ambitious project, discussed at the NBA Board of Governors meeting in New York, envisions European expansion and could include between eight and ten teams. Some of these teams might come from the EuroLeague, while others would be newly established franchises in strategic markets such as Madrid, Athens, Paris, Berlin, and Milan. The primary goal is to capitalize on the economic potential of basketball in Europe and the Middle East, with projected revenues reaching up to $3 billion per year. Discussions are ongoing with renowned football clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, to support this initiative.

Ah, the NBA, always eager to spread its imperial greatness, lands in Europe with the subtlety of an elephant in a china shop. This European league project is nothing less than a Super League 2.0, a shameless attempt by a handful of wealthy investors to get even richer while trampling all over the fans and European basketball culture. Why respect local traditions when you can impose a standardized American model, right? After all, who needs the cultural diversity of European basketball when you can have a homogeneous league dictated by out-of-touch magnates?

The EuroLeague embodies the very essence of European basketball, blending traditions, historic rivalries, and unparalleled fan passion. Unlike initiatives such as NBA Europe, which some see as attempts to impose a standardized and purely commercial model, the EuroLeague preserves authenticity and cultural diversity in European basketball.

EuroLeague arenas are known for their electric atmospheres, reflecting the deep attachment fans have to their teams. Clubs like Partizan Belgrade boast an impressive 99% attendance rate, while Zalgiris Kaunas reaches 97%, and Red Star Belgrade 95%. Other teams, such as Bayern Munich, Olympiakos Piraeus, and ASVEL, also record attendance rates above 90%, illustrating the unwavering enthusiasm for this competition.

This passion also translates into record crowds. For example, ASVEL has hosted over 11,000 spectators for games against prestigious teams like Bayern Munich, FC Barcelona, and Real Madrid.

On a sporting level, the EuroLeague stands out with a team-oriented and strategic style of play. Unlike the NBA, where individual stars dominate, European teams emphasize ball movement, defensive discipline, and tactical precision. This approach has allowed players like Luka Dončić, who was developed at Real Madrid, to gain a deep understanding of the game from an early age, contributing to their later success on the international stage.

Rivalries between clubs, such as the fierce battles between Olympiakos and Panathinaikos in Greece, go beyond mere sporting contests. These derbies, played in boiling arenas filled with chants and tifos, resemble the electric atmospheres of football stadiums and reinforce the sense of belonging among fans. In a world often marked by division, the EuroLeague unites people around basketball, bridging cultural differences through a shared passion.

NBA Europe will be accessible only to those who can afford a €500 million entry ticket, a staggering sum that immediately excludes most historic clubs and ensures that only out-of-touch multimillionaires can partake.

This model has nothing to do with sporting meritocracy, the foundation of the EuroLeague. Here, it’s not about performance on the court, glorious victories, or historic rivalries, just XXL checks and being part of the right investment circle. It’s precisely what the football Super League tried to impose: a closed club of elites, far removed from the true values of sport.

This outrageous entry fee means that iconic Eastern European teams, deeply rooted in their local communities, won’t stand a chance of getting in. Partizan Belgrade? Red Star Belgrade? Gone. Too popular, too deeply embedded in European basketball history, and not profitable enough for this imported NBA product.

In reality, this project isn’t about developing basketball in Europe, it’s about capturing its market, turning it into a sanitized, packaged product. This isn’t sport; it’s a financial scheme. A way for an elite to expand its empire by imposing a model that disrespects local basketball culture.

And guess who’s at the forefront of financing this masquerade? Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and QSI, always ready to inject billions to buy sporting credibility while draining the soul from competitions. After wrecking French football’s competitiveness with Qatar’s version of PSG, here they are, ready to do the same to basketball.

European basketball deserves better. It belongs to the fans, not to investors chasing instant profits.

In the end, NBA Europe is an aberration, a complete insult to the essence of European basketball. This sport, deeply embedded in local communities, followed by devoted fans who live every game with unmatched intensity, deserves better than to be reduced to a mere entertainment product for a handful of wealthy investors.

European basketball is not a commodity to be exploited by investors looking for new lucrative playgrounds. It’s time to defend the integrity and cultural richness of our sport against these corporate takeovers disguised as progress.