EuroLeague CEO warns that forming a rival league in Europe would be disastrous

The CEO of EuroLeague sounded the alarm over the NBA's plans to expand into Europe. He said that establishing a competing league in Europe would have disastrous consequences, signaling strong concern about the plan.

EuroLeague is Europe's premier club competition. In the 2026-27 season, 20 teams will play a home-and-away round-robin format. The tournament framework that European clubs have built over many years is at the center of the debate.

The NBA is North America's men's professional league, with 30 teams. It holds an 82-game regular season and decides its champion through the playoffs. The idea of the league expanding into Europe raises questions about its relationship with the existing European competitive system.

European basketball generally operates with domestic leagues and European competitions running in parallel. Clubs must balance their results in domestic leagues with their performance in European competitions, and the value of these competitions also affects the flow of players and funds.

If a rival league were established, competition for players and fights over broadcast rights would likely intensify. Revenue sharing among participating clubs and scheduling would also become more complicated, likely placing a burden on the operation of existing competitions.

Key points to watch are whether details of the NBA's plan are made public and how European clubs and tournament organizers respond. Whether the direction is competition or cooperation will shape the future of European basketball.

Basketball Press view

The CEO's remarks on the NBA's plan to expand into Europe show how seriously the operators of Europe's top existing competition take the threat of a rival league. A North American league entering Europe would affect player transfers, broadcast rights and club revenue. EuroLeague is built around a 20-team round-robin, and whether that framework is shaken affects European basketball as a whole. Whether the two leagues move toward confrontation or look for a cooperative path will be the focus going forward.

This article was written by the Basketball Press editors based on the cited reports. AI is used to assist in writing and translating our articles. Please check the source for full details and exact figures.