Adam Silver for NBA Europe: “Let’s upload the game to Europe to another level – discussions continue”

The situation of basketball in Europe I think is fantastic. They have their own traditions, which of course we want to maintain, but we believe that there is an opportunity to bring a NBA -type championship and raise the game to another level.

“We hired JP Morgan”



I saw Tony Parker’s comments. Tony is one of the people with whom Mark and I often meet. He is now owner of a group in France. I was pleased to see his constant enthusiasm for it. I think Tony expresses many of the bodies and participants in European basketball: that there is a real interest to do something there. Tony now knows all sides, and as a team owner anymore. Again, we haven’t arrived there yet. The discussions continue.

By the way, since we all talked together, we hired JP Morgan to work with us and do the analysis and also work with another smaller bank called Rain, which has done a lot of work for the league historically and has represented various clubs. So they work intensively on the model, trying to better understand the investment opportunity for external stakeholders.

“Our lawyers think we can get a Salary Cap system and revenue share with players and apply it to a European context”



I think our basketball people are very much dedicated to how the event will work. Our lawyers are seriously thinking about how we can get a system known in American sport – a Salary Cap system and revenue share with players – and how we can apply it to a European context.

Nothing is easy here. There are reasons why this has not been done so far. But I think we can do it, and again, the response has been huge.

I will also say, although it is a completely independent look at what we can do in Europe in relation to the United States, I think that adding teams to an existing league, where you have at least a given revenue pie at least, is very different from looking at a chance in Europe where the landscape is white. Although something already works there, it is something like a “virgin territory” of conditional opportunity that can exist.

“In Europe, in some markets it makes sense to start from scratch and in others there is a tradition”



I will say two things. First, discussions with Euroleague continue, so yes, there is still room, as you have put it, to deepen cooperation with them and find ways to integrate our function in some way.

Secondly, I would not say that it is our preference to connect with these well -known soccer clubs in Europe. I think this is a model, where especially some of these incredible football brands in Europe have some of the largest fanbases in the world behind them, but as you know well, they also have basketball tradition. They may not be so well known for their basketball teams, but it’s not like saying “get a football brand and now make a basketball team.” They already have basketball groups, and in some cases, groups that attribute to a very high level.

I think we are looking at a market with a market separately. In specific markets, some of these football clubs are ahead. In some cases, they have basketball teams that already play in other leagues and have said: “We would be very interested in working with you.” And in some other markets there is not the same basketball tradition as we see in some European countries.

I am sure that you are thinking, that in Europe from country to country things can be dramatically different; levels of interest in basketball can differ dramatically. There are European countries with capitals well -known to the American public, who seem excellent opportunities but without a great basketball tradition; there in some markets it may make sense to start from scratch and create new clubs.