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George Avaizoglou, the managing director for NBA Europe and the Middle East, recently shared the latest developments regarding the NBA’s collaboration with FIBA to broaden its reach into Europe, an initiative widely referred to as NBA Europe.
During an interview with The New York Times, the Greek executive outlined his expectations for the participating teams, highlighting the interest from established basketball organizations, soccer clubs, and new entrants into the market.
“There is significant enthusiasm among existing basketball clubs across the continent to join in, particularly since many of them are part of larger multi-sport organizations,” he noted.
He cited discussions with notable teams like Real Madrid and Galatasaray as fitting examples of this interest.
“This presents an excellent chance for these clubs to diversify their offerings and build a multi-sport framework, a concept that is well-accepted in various European nations like Spain, Greece, and Turkey, though it is less prevalent in places like the United Kingdom. However, I believe there is a sincere desire for collaboration from our side,” Avaizoglou stated.
“What I find particularly compelling is that these clubs come with deep-rooted traditions spanning centuries, resulting in strong brand identities. Many of these brands are recognized globally, attracting fans from all corners of the world,” he added. “On a practical level, they are managed by experts who have mastered the art of engaging fans and creating competitive teams. The strong fan bases they’ve developed represent significant assets that they can bring to this league from the very start.”
With the anticipation of a new European League set to commence in either 2027 or 2028, as confirmed by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Avaizoglou spoke about the potential inclusion of teams from cities like Paris, London, Manchester, Berlin, and Rome.
“We might also encounter situations where entirely new brands emerge in some cities as part of this league, though I expect most will stem from existing type-one or type-two programs,” he referred to previous examples of established teams.
The new league could also integrate domestic competitions in a manner akin to the current structure seen in football under UEFA’s system.
“In football, there’s a streamlined, single pyramid that is straightforward for funds, media investors, potential partners, and players to grasp,” Avaizoglou commented. “However, success in the domestic league does not automatically translate to opportunities for advancement or high-level performance across Europe, which I believe is a missed opportunity. This oversight diminishes the overall value of domestic leagues and limits the chances for various teams within the ecosystem to pursue their own ‘Cinderella’ stories, much like Leicester City did when they won the Premier League a few seasons ago.”
Photo Credit: FIBA
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