Europe Part of NBA's Globalisation Plan

American league's continental interest just the start of its quest to rule the world

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PARIS - The National Basketball Association (NBA) has said it is "exploring" the creation of a professional basketball league in Europe, but the plans remain vague and raise many questions.

The first is why is the powerful American league taking this step? How does it intend to make money? And is the EuroLeague, the home of Europe's best clubs, doomed to a marriage of convenience?

WHY HAS THE NBA GOT DESIGNS ON EUROPE?

For several years now, the NBA has wanted to plant its flag on European soil and go beyond the annual pre-season or regular-season game held in Europe for the past four decades.

It has already quenched its thirst for expansion by creating a women's league, the WNBA, the developmental G-League in the US and the Basketball Africa League.

Backed by record television rights receipts worth around US$76 billion (S$102.5 billion) from 2025 to 2036, it now seems ready to take the plunge in Europe.

The move might have been precipitated by reports that investors advised by LeBron James' former manager Maverick Carter are attempting to create a league consisting of six men's teams and six women's teams playing games around the world, according to Patrick Rishe, director of the sports business programme at Washington University.

"The (NBA's) primary motivation is to just simply further globalise their sport. They've done a great job of doing that over the decades," he said.