NBA, FIBA Press Ahead With Europe League After EuroLeague Rejects Merger Offer
The NBA and FIBA are moving forward with plans for a new European basketball league after EuroLeague shareholders rejected an initial merger proposal. The proposed 16-team competition is targeted for launch in 2027, with the NBA saying it remains open to future collaboration with EuroLeague.
NBA and FIBA push ahead with Europe league after EuroLeague rejection
The NBA and FIBA say they remain committed to launching a new European basketball competition despite EuroLeague shareholders rejecting an initial proposal to merge the two operations. The development creates a major divide in the sport’s established club structure as the NBA pursues its own European project.
According to Reuters’ report, EuroLeague owners voted against the NBA’s collaboration offer at a shareholders’ assembly earlier this week. EuroLeague has nevertheless said it remains open to working with the NBA and FIBA.
New competition targeted for 2027
The NBA and FIBA said they intend to move forward with plans for a league targeted for 2027, whether or not an agreement with EuroLeague is reached. George Aivazoglou, the NBA’s director for Europe and the Middle East, confirmed the project’s direction at a sports-industry conference in London.
“We’re moving ahead with plans for a launch next year,” Aivazoglou said, according to The Athletic.
The proposed competition would initially feature 16 clubs, including 12 permanent franchises and four places awarded annually through qualification from domestic leagues or a second-tier European competition, The Athletic reported.
A challenge to the existing structure
Aivazoglou criticized EuroLeague’s closed format, arguing that domestic champions can be denied access while some clubs retain places despite poor domestic results, according to The Athletic. The NBA’s stated aim is a broader European system with an open second tier alongside the top competition.
EuroLeague’s rejection does not necessarily end negotiations, and Reuters reported that discussions could continue without a fixed deadline for an agreement. But the NBA and FIBA’s decision to continue planning independently leaves the future shape of elite European basketball uncertain as the proposed launch approaches.