The EuroLeague clubs have rejected the NBA’s proposal to merge and form a unified NBA Europe league, according to reports from Front Office Sports and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. At a meeting of the 13 permanent EuroLeague owners in Cernobbio, Italy, on Tuesday, a supermajority voted against the offer. Among those opposing were Barcelona, Fenerbahce, and Olympiacos.
The NBA’s offer aimed to create a 16-team league launching as soon as 2027, combining existing European clubs with new franchises and a mix of permanent and promotion/relegation spots. However, EuroLeague owners were frustrated by the NBA’s terms, which included a requirement to pause the EuroLeague’s own expansion plans. The EuroLeague currently fields 20 teams and intends to grow to as many as 24 by the 2027-28 season, with some targeted markets overlapping with the NBA’s ambitions.
Sources described the NBA’s proposal as “colonialist.” One told Front Office Sports that the EuroLeague clubs “have invested time and money into their league” and built “real brands, real franchises.” The source added that the offer felt like “very much a power play.” The NBA’s valuation of the EuroLeague reportedly fell short of $3 billion, a figure owners considered too low.
The NBA is pursuing cities including Rome and Milan in Italy; London and Manchester in England; Paris and Lyon in France; Madrid and Barcelona in Spain; Munich and Berlin in Germany; as well as Athens in Greece and Istanbul in Turkey. Several of these locations overlap with the EuroLeague’s current or planned footprint.
Despite the vote against the merger, negotiations between the NBA and EuroLeague are expected to continue. ESPN noted that a “significant number” of EuroLeague teams have expressed interest in joining the NBA’s Europe league proposal.
The clubs’ rejection means the NBA Europe league will not launch as a combined venture with the EuroLeague just yet. The discussions around the future structure of professional basketball in Europe remain ongoing.
According to Yahoo Sports.