By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
According to sources, the NBA has received many bids within and exceeding the $500 million to $1 billion range in each of its 12 target cities.
While interest was oversubscribed, reports in the UK indicate that there are bids below the 500M threshold in certain markets, but that the franchise price will still rise to that valuation.
According to sources close to the process, the NBA is confident in their process and the market validation.
Mark Tatum said: “We’re extremely encouraged by the final bids we received for permanent franchises in a new NBA and FIBA-backed league in Europe, which reflect the tremendous interest and momentum around this project.”
It has to be noted that until recently, those kinds of numbers were unthinkable in basketball-related talks.
However, things have changed; the valuation of the EuroLeague is expected to be over €3B, and the business of the sport is blooming, both in traditional basketball markets and also in cities like London and Paris, where the bids are at the level of $1B.
Those are all good news for the sport and indicate that a possible collaboration between all shareholders can only be beneficial.
It is worth highlighting the fundamental differences between the franchise models being pursued by NBA Europe and EuroLeague Basketball.
The NBA has indicated that franchise valuations are expected to range between €500 million and €1 billion, with franchise owners holding a minority ownership stake in the league. By contrast, EuroLeague Basketball plans to convert its existing shareholder clubs into long-term franchise holders during the 2026-27 season at no additional cost. At the same time, the Euroleague will launch a franchise process for non-shareholder clubs in July, with entry fees expected to range between €50 million and €90 million, depending on the market and the applicant’s profile.
Under the EuroLeague Basketball model, the participating franchise clubs will continue to retain majority ownership and governance of the league, preserving its club-led structure while welcoming new long-term strategic partners.
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