Will the NBA expand to Europe?

[Scout200]

There's been a lot of talk about the NBA expanding to Europe... Do you think the NBA will give up home games in order to reach out to a larger base? How do you think this will impact the NBA?

[Black Urum]

I think they can only reach undeveloped (basketball-wise) European cities... like London, Paris, Stockholm whatever...



If they make teams in Athens or Belgrade or Istanbul no one will give a f*ck... people there already got their teams and teams are for life.

[stefans]

[quote name='Black Urum' timestamp='1292512167' post='26932']

I think they can only reach undeveloped (basketball-wise) European cities... like London, Paris, Stockholm whatever...



If they make teams in Athens or Belgrade or Istanbul no one will give a f*ck... people there already got their teams and teams are for life.

[/quote]



I agree.Also Lisabon and Amsterdam on the list of undeveloped. <img src='http://www.talkbasket.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

And for 5-6 years Euroleague will be much stronger(if not already).And they will not need NBA. <img src='http://www.talkbasket.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Only in Euroleague that missing is infrastructure.But that will be solved in maximum 2 years. <img src='http://www.talkbasket.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[forum troll]

The only possible way that this would ever work for the NBA is if they reached agreement with the top Euroleague clubs to join them. The current plan of Stern, which is to compete directly with the Euroleague is retarded. I know that in the US every basketball and sports fan believes that the NBA would just automatically overcome the Euroleague the second it came to Europe, but that is pure fantasy and delusion.



The NBA Europe could never compete with the Euroleague directly at this point. It would definitely fail at that.



So the only way for this to work would be for the NBA to convince the top European clubs that are already established to join them. Of course, Stern has the exact opposite plans. He wants to make expansion franchises and to create them in cities of his choosing. He expects a $500 million fee for each club to join the NBA and he expects to put the Euroleague out of business and to get all that money and then in turn remove the NBA's current economic problems, where the league is losing money every year.



The problem is that Stern does not grasp that an NBA Europe Division like this won't compete well with the Euroleague at all. The basketball system is established in Euroleague with the big clubs already and Stern is foolish if he thinks he can change that.



If he worked with the already established rich clubs, then it could work. Because the American basketball fans that are so xenophobic and racist, won't accept anything that is not an American basketball league, so that would eliminate that problem and then it might work well because the whole problem the Eurolegue has is this insane nonsense in the US that no one there will accept it as a legit league.



So in essence, a combined NBA with the top European clubs would bypass the ignorance and racism of the American basketball fans, simply because the NBA logo was on it. The thing is though, the Euroleague is making a lot of money and is doing quite well, while the NBA is losing money every year. It would be hard for Stern to convince those big European clubs to leave the league that is making money and join the one that is losing money.



Clubs like Olympiacos and Real Madrid would go for it, but would the rest? So even if Stern decides smartly to scrap his current plan and to recruit the top European clubs, they might not want to join him.

[World of Basketball]

Hopefully it will expand to Europe. I am not sure when this will (if) happen, but I would be happy to see one day European clubs to play in NBA. It will bring more sponsors (money) and we will enjoy in top quality basketball here in Europe.

[Raze Lupin]

I hope it never happens. It's a stupid idea. Why should the NBA move to Europe??

[Black Urum]

[quote name='World of Basketball' timestamp='1292516580' post='26938']

Hopefully it will expand to Europe. I am not sure when this will (if) happen, but I would be happy to see one day European clubs to play in NBA. It will bring more sponsors (money) and we will enjoy in top quality basketball here in Europe.

[/quote]

Don't know bout you but I enjoy elite level basketball in Athens for the past 15 years...

[stefans]

[quote name='Black Urum' timestamp='1292545081' post='26957']

Don't know bout you but I enjoy elite level basketball in Athens for the past 15 years...

[/quote]



I agree with you.Every year Euroleague is better and better.Only to fix infrastructure(+10k all arenas).And it will be awesome. <img src='http://www.talkbasket.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[Scout200]

I'm split on the idea...



Travel would be awful but expanding the NBA into Europe makes sense considering the amount of talent that is continually being produced. Names like Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker, all of whom are from Europe, are now NBA superstars.

[forum troll]

[quote name='stefans' timestamp='1292602103' post='26999']

I agree with you.Every year Euroleague is better and better.Only to fix infrastructure(+10k all arenas).And it will be awesome. <img src='http://www.talkbasket.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[/quote]



What about clubs like Siena and Khimki that don't have those arenas?

[stefans]

[quote name='Panathinaikos' timestamp='1292620498' post='27027']

What about clubs like Siena and Khimki that don't have those arenas?

[/quote]



Siena will built.They told that.I don't know if they finish or even started to built.And Khimki will move to bigger arena.Moscow have plenty big arenas.

[skangles]

They've been talking about this for years. A couple of years ago there were rumors that if it happened it could include teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona. An NBA expansion consisting of well established existing clubs would be interesting.