NBA confirms talks about investments in Europe

LOS ANGELES, United States – The NBA said on Oct. 22 that the league is in talks with world basketball governing body Fiba about a possible investment in Europe, believing there is an “untapped opportunity” to grow the game in the region.

NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum told international media during a conference call ahead of the new NBA season that talks with officials in Europe were ongoing, but emphasized that investment talks were in a preliminary stage.

“There is no doubt that I think there is an opportunity for the game of basketball to continue to grow in Europe,” Tatum said.

“And you know, what we’re focused on is really working with Fiba and our partners in Europe to tap into this untapped opportunity to continue to grow the game of basketball there.

“And how can we invest in the European basketball ecosystem? You know, what is a potential business model? What could that look like? So I would say it’s still early in the discussions, but we are in discussions with our partner Fiba.”

Tatum’s comments followed comments from NBA commissioner Adam Silver in August about the possibility of an NBA league in Europe.

Tatum cited the example of the NBA-backed Basketball Africa League (BAL), founded in 2019 in partnership with Fiba, and hinted that a European venture could work along similar lines.

“As you know, in Africa we started a league with Fiba, the BAL is working with Fiba,” Tatum said.

“And I think there is a need and a demand for a model in European basketball that will actually grow the sport, to put the sport on the trajectory where it should be.”

Tatum said that despite basketball’s popularity in Europe, the sport had “less than 1 percent of the commercial market.”

“So we just think there’s an opportunity to have a better model for European basketball,” Tatum said.

“There is no time frame on it. There are no specifics to discuss today. But it is something we are talking about with FIBA ​​and other stakeholders in the market.” AFP