NBA Europe league to name franchise winners, pledges hundreds of millions in revenue

The NBA is preparing to launch a 16‑team top‑tier European league in the 2027‑28 season. Bids for 12 permanent franchises are due at the end of June, and the league expects to announce the winning bidders within the next 60‑90 days. The proposed clubs will be based in Rome, Milan, London, Manchester, Paris, Lyon, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Munich, Athens and Istanbul, with four rotating spots for Basketball Champions League participants.

NBA senior executive George Aivazoglou said the new league will distribute "hundreds of millions of dollars per year" to its franchises, while each prospective partner faces an initial investment of $500 million to $1 billion. The NBA has pledged $3 billion to help cover early losses. Deputy commissioner Mark Tatum highlighted the rapid timeline and the limited availability of world‑class arenas, noting that only two to three such venues currently exist across the continent. The league is courting soccer club owners and other investors, with interest from entities such as RedBird, which backs AC Milan.

The project aims to tap into an estimated 300 million European basketball fans and capture a commercial market share that is presently below 1 %. Media partners are already positioning themselves to broadcast the league globally.