NBA confirms talks over European investment
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers controls the ball against the Denver Nuggets in the second half during game four of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 27, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. James will return to the Los Angeles Lakers next season after agreeing a new two-year $104 million deal with the club, multiple US reports said on July 3, 2024. James, who will turn 40 in December, opted out of his existing deal with the club last week in a move analysts said would free up more money to recruit new players. (Photo by RONALD MARTINEZ / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
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NBA deputy-commissioner Mark Tatum told international media on a conference call ahead of the new NBA season that discussions with officials in Europe were ongoing, but emphasized talks on investment were at a preliminary stage.
"There's 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 further grow the game of basketball there.
"And how can we make investments in the European basketball ecosystem? You know, what is a potential operating model? What could that look like? So I'd say it's still early in the conversations, but we are having conversations with our partner FIBA."
Tatum's remarks followed comments made by NBA commissioner Adam Silver in August over the possibility of an NBA league in Europe.
Tatum cited the example of the NBA-backed Basketball Africa League (BAL) founded in 2019 in conjunction with FIBA, and hinted that a European venture could work along similar lines.
"As you know, we started a league in Africa with FIBA, the BAL is in partnership with FIBA," Tatum said.
"And I do think that 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 that it should be on."
Tatum said that despite basketball's popularity in Europe, the sport had "less than a 1 percent share of the commercial market".
"So we just think there's an opportunity to have a better model for European basketball," Tatum said.
"There's no time frame on it. There's no specifics to discuss today. But it's something that we're talking to FIBA and other stakeholders about in the marketplace."
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