The NBA wants 12 cities to house permanent franchises.
The National Basketball Association appears to be ready to expand by 2027. But it will not happen in the United States, Canada or Mexico. Instead, there will be a startup league in Europe. The NBA is targeting a 16 team circuit and has 12 cities in mind. London and Manchester in England, Paris and Lyon in France, Barcelona and Madrid in Spain, Milan and Rome in Spain, Berlin and Munich in Germany and Athens, Greece and Istanbul, Turkey. The NBA has not officially signed any deals yet. In terms of expanding the 30 team NBA to 32, nothing seems imminent with Las Vegas and Seattle available and there has not been any mention of Mexico City joining the league even though the NBA recently played its annual Mexico game.
The International Basketball Federation or FIBA, the governing body of global basketball, is helping the NBA form a European league. There could be a problem though. There is an established European league. The Euroleague has been around in one form or another since 1958 and has 18 teams. The NBA is aiming for a league that will also try to maximize the commercial potential of basketball in Europe while honoring the European basketball traditions. The NBA also has a problem that was not anticipated. American tariffs. The European Union’s reaction to the levies has not been favorable to the United States. Will Europeans be open to an American business coming to the continent under present conditions and sentiments? Madrid, Barcelona, Athens are taken but there are plenty of other basketball markets in Europe that are open although the NBA could poach some of those teams in The Euroleague to join its new league. The NBA is in the business of making money and if it pushes out the EuroLeague to do so, so be it.
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The NBA will go head to head with the Euroleaague.
