NBA and FIBA move ahead with plan for new European league of 14–16 teams

Cbssports reports the NBA and FIBA are moving forward with plans to engage prospective teams and ownership groups for a new European basketball league that would compete with the EuroLeague, as the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies prepare to play the NBA's 98th and 99th games in Europe this week with matchups in Berlin and London.

The proposed league would launch with 14–16 teams, a mix of 10–12 permanent clubs and 4–6 qualifier spots for FIBA-affiliated domestic leagues, with competition scheduled around domestic league and national team calendars. NBA Europe and Middle East managing director George Aivazoglou said the NBA views European basketball as underdeveloped relative to its fan base — about 270 million fans — and that current domestic, regional and pan‑European competitions account for roughly 0.5% of the $50 billion European sports industry.

Aivazoglou outlined three perceived problems: the absence of a strong ecosystem pyramid that limits most teams from top competitions; the exclusion of major markets such as London, Paris, Rome and Berlin from permanent representation; and a largely core, rather than mass, audience.

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Sports, Nba, Fiba, Euroleague, George Aivazoglou, Orlando Magic