NBA No Longer Interested In European Expansion

[Euroleague]

In regards to the China discussion, I think Oceania should form it's own league and combine that whole region into one. Help raise the salaries and maybe attract some NBA drop off talent to the league. They've had Singapore in the australian league in the past why not go all the way and form one league.

Oceania already has a combined league. It's called Australian League (NBL - National Basketball league), for Australian and New Zealand teams. It already exists.

The average salary is something like $50,000 Australian dollars.

There is also already a Southeast Asian Basketball league.

[Euroleague]

Finally ditching this dumb worldwide expansion idea, kick started in the late 90's.

It's called the NATIONAL Basketball Association for a reason, Stern.

Don't out kick your coverage, when you over extend yourself too much that can be bad for business as well.

Then why the hell is Canada participating in the NBA?

[$LakerGold]

Because Europe is closer. China is too far.

Dont let the map fool you ... USA TO Asia is pretty close ... LOOK AT THE GLOBE

[InspiredLebowski]

Stern is so full of shit. Everyone in Europe knew this was a complete fantasy that the NBA could ever compete with big European clubs in the market in Europe.

European fans always laughed at this craziness. No NBA team can compete with Real Madrid, Barca, Olympiacos, PAO, Fener, etc. in their home markets.

The economic analysts must have finally told him how nuts he was. The NBA can't just swoop into Europe and out the Euroleague and it's big clubs, or even mildly compete with it in its own market.

They could have a team in London and maybe one in Paris, and that's about it. This was always a complete fantasy by Stern. European fan base is cemented as hard as stone with their own clubs and they would have absolutely no interest in supporting NBA teams.

The ONLY way that would have ever worked was if Stern wanted to make a European division using existing European clubs, or if he wanted to make a world championship game between the Euroleague winner and the NBA winner.

This idea of his of making 5 "expansion NBA franchises in Europe" was always totally insane and absurd, as it could never work. Apparently, he finally realized that.

The majority of NBA teams are already second fiddles to their NFL counterparts. They have no disillusions about coming in to Europe and dominating the continent like they're [insert whatever big soccer team]. But there are plenty of gigantic markets that can more than financially support NBA franchises in a far better fashion than probably at least a third of the NBA's current markets.

Whatever, how's the weather in Arkansas?

[Euroleague]

Came in here to post this but on a more serious note. The D-league could be much more popular if it were hosted in Europe IMO. Also I think all pre season games could be held in Europe/Asia. I wouldn't say I vehemently support these but it's food for thought.

You have got to be freaking kidding me...............

European fans are going to watch a league that would be by far worse than the average league in Europe and that they have no affiliation to?



Stop smoking crack.

[Euroleague]

If D-League teams could be hosted in larger Euro cities as well it would help generate revenue for those teams and also make them more attractive to potential D-League player, would you rather go play in Paris while trying to make the NBA or play in Canton? Could be a legit route for HS players who want to skip college and play abroad. Doesn't even have to be a shot at the talent levels of the Euro-League like some people are treating it, the D-league would get attendance based on the NBA connection and the majority of the league being American players (who in alot of casual fans minds rank higher then everyone else even if it's b.s)

You are insane.

[Euroleague]

Even as a European myself, I'm glad to hear this. Call me old fashioned, but I don't want to see the NBA 'tampered' with. It's a successful formula, and I just feel the expansion is unnecessary. I don't think it would make hardcore Euro Basketball fans suddenly love the NBA either. Hell, they'd probably have more disdain for it for potentially breaking up some Euro teams. While it would be a big change for the NBA, not many people seem to acknowledge the ramifications it would have on the European leagues.

Something I'd be much more interested in is seeing NBA regular season games played over in Europe. Especially in London. NFL are doing it, Wembley stadium will be hosting a few games over the next few years. The O2 Arena in London is an NBA ready venue and has already hosted a lot of pre-season games.

Not that I'm biased.

The NBA could never ever compete with the big European clubs on their own market. Get serious. Stern is a freaking retard and his economics and marketing people finally told him to stop it.

He was talking about having all of these European teams in cities that already have HUGE connection to their OWN clubs. Anyone that thinks this could have ever worked for the NBA is a dumb ass of historic proportions.

The idea that the D-League would do well in Europe..........it's beyond even ludicrous.

[Euroleague]

It's not like it was ever going to happen inside of at least a decade anyway. The league wants to go to Europe they need at least an entire division there. Even for football it'd be hard to make happen logistically, let alone a game where there's 2/3 games a week.

It's the economics, not the logistics. The European fan bases won't leave their own club affiliation to support an NBA franchise. Stern probably finally grasped that, after the NBA realized that.

Could the NBA allow existing European clubs to form an NBA division and have success? That's possible.

But this idea of making a new league with new clubs to compete directly with the clubs that already exist there is absolutely ridiculous. The division would fold after one season.

[Euroleague]

The majority of NBA teams are already second fiddles to their NFL counterparts. They have no disillusions about coming in to Europe and dominating the continent like they're [insert whatever big soccer team]. But there are plenty of gigantic markets that can more than financially support NBA franchises in a far better fashion than probably at least a third of the NBA's current markets.

This is absolutely fantasy. Those "big markets" are London and Paris. That's it. Stern claimed he needed 5 cities. Well, they don't exist. Because they all have their own clubs that they already support with incredible dedication and passion.

These markets simply don't exist because they ALREADY are totally owned by the existing local clubs.

London and Paris...yes. That's 2, not 5.

[InspiredLebowski]

This is absolutely fantasy. Those "big markets" are London and Paris. That's it. Stern claimed he needed 5 cities. Well, they don't exist. Because they all have their own clubs that they already support with incredible dedication and passion.

These markets simply don't exist because they ALREADY are totally owned by the existing local clubs.

London and Paris...yes. That's 2, not 5.

Look at at least a third of the NBA's markets and their professional sports saturation. Then look at the markets potentially available in Europe. The NBA has no interest in overtaking Euroleague clubs, just a franchise being in a market that can financially sustain it. You have no clue what this discussion is actually about.

Whatever, this argument is stupid, you're stupid.

[HeddaGambler]

As I`ve said before on this topic, the NBA will never come to Europe in it`s current form due to to the fact that the European Union would never accept the draft-system or the CBA. In Europe we don`t allow anything close to a draft, restricted free agency as you know it or pre-defined salaries based on draft positions.

[Blue&Orange]

How would that work? A European division? Would that be new teams or would they "draft" from existing teams? It could happen if thr NBA was willing to take losses and could find a couple of guys like prokhorov that have no respect for money.

Another thing, you guys realize that there are a gazillion of leagues and teams on europe right? And if the best players were concentrated only on 30 professional teams NBA wouldn't be much better... you guys treat Europe like it's a singular entity, well it isn't... Euroleague is a qualification tournament which means a lot of good players are left out.

[9512]

The NBA stands for National Basketball Association. I am assuming the "National" of NBA meant the USA and the USA only.

How come Toronto gets a team? And at one point Vancouver did too?

[stax]

Even as a European myself, I'm glad to hear this. Call me old fashioned, but I don't want to see the NBA 'tampered' with. It's a successful formula, and I just feel the expansion is unnecessary. I don't think it would make hardcore Euro Basketball fans suddenly love the NBA either. Hell, they'd probably have more disdain for it for potentially breaking up some Euro teams. While it would be a big change for the NBA, not many people seem to acknowledge the ramifications it would have on the European leagues.

Something I'd be much more interested in is seeing NBA regular season games played over in Europe. Especially in London. NFL are doing it, Wembley stadium will be hosting a few games over the next few years. The O2 Arena in London is an NBA ready venue and has already hosted a lot of pre-season games.

Not that I'm biased.

The Knicks and Pistons are playing a regular season game in London in January: http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/nba-...ew-york-knicks Tickets on sale in two weeks.

I pretty much forgot that the Nets and Craptors played back-to-back regular season games in London last season.

[sodap]

Stern is so full of shit. Everyone in Europe knew this was a complete fantasy that the NBA could ever compete with big European clubs in the market in Europe.

European fans always laughed at this craziness. No NBA team can compete with Real Madrid, Barca, Olympiacos, PAO, Fener, etc. in their home markets.

The economic analysts must have finally told him how nuts he was. The NBA can't just swoop into Europe and out the Euroleague and it's big clubs, or even mildly compete with it in its own market.

They could have a team in London and maybe one in Paris, and that's about it. This was always a complete fantasy by Stern. European fan base is cemented as hard as stone with their own clubs and they would have absolutely no interest in supporting NBA teams.

The ONLY way that would have ever worked was if Stern wanted to make a European division using existing European clubs, or if he wanted to make a world championship game between the Euroleague winner and the NBA winner.

This idea of his of making 5 "expansion NBA franchises in Europe" was always totally insane and absurd, as it could never work. Apparently, he finally realized that.

Florentino P