NBA Deputy Chairman Tatum: New European League Plan Back on the Agenda

NBA deputy chairman and president of operations Mark Tatum has once again spoken about plans to establish a new, top-tier league in Europe, backed by the North America-based league and FIBA. Officials have stressed that the name is temporary, but the project is generally referred to as NBA Europe, and matches are planned to start in October 2027.

Speaking at Sportico's Invest New York conference, Tatum repeated his views on the current European system. In his view, existing teams have grown tired of investing tens of millions of dollars a year without seeing any increase in franchise values, and are looking for a new economic partner.

The new structure will feature 12 permanent franchises in the largest markets. There will also be four open slots through which any professional team can rise to the top level. FIBA's Basketball Champions League will serve as the second-tier league. Franchise entry fees are expected to reach up to 1 billion dollars, and private equity and asset funds are already showing interest.

Tatum finds the tournament structure in Europe confusing. Noting that EuroLeague, the Basketball Champions League and domestic leagues are not connected to one another, he said they are trying to build a structure within Europe similar to the one in football. Among the profitable markets in the sport's expansion, he highlighted Paris and the United Kingdom.