Several prominent EuroLeague shareholders reportedly want to maintain communication with the NBA despite widespread dissatisfaction with its initial cooperation proposal.
Real Madrid, Fenerbahce, Panathinaikos, ASVEL and Bayern Munich are among the clubs interested in keeping negotiations open.
These organizations represent markets that have been publicly identified as potential destinations for NBA Europe franchises.
Barcelona and Olimpia Milan, despite also operating in cities of interest to the NBA, have reportedly adopted more reserved positions. Other EuroLeague shareholders are understood to be firmly opposed to the current proposal.
A major concern is how an NBA-controlled competition would affect existing clubs that already possess established brands, fan bases and commercial relationships.
Creating new basketball organizations in markets such as Madrid or Munich could prove challenging because Real Madrid and Bayern Munich already occupy prominent positions in those cities.
The disagreement also reflects the complexity of combining organizations with different financial expectations and governance structures.
Former NBA and EuroLeague guard Malcolm Delaney previously offered an observation about the business side of professional basketball.
“Basketball is a fun sport, but a funny business”.
For now, the clubs have not reached a unified position on whether further cooperation with the NBA is possible.
Both organizations continue preparing for their respective futures while the possibility of additional negotiations remains unresolved.
