FIBA seeks agreement in NBA-Euroleague negotiations

FIBA does not participate directly in the negotiations defining the future of European basketball, as confirmed by Jorge Garbajosa, president of FIBA Europe, in an interview during the Intercontinental Cup in Beijing. The discussions between NBA and EuroLeague operate as a bilateral negotiation between both organizations, without the presence of the international body.

However, this does not mean that FIBA is sidelined from the process. Garbajosa explained that the organization has invited NBA and ECA, the club association of EuroLeague, to the Basketball House in Mies (Switzerland) three times, aiming to bring positions closer. "We always want to be part of the solution, never part of the problem," summarized the Spanish leader.

A decisive moment for continental basketball

Garbajosa described the current situation as a crucial moment. FIBA has been negotiating with EuroLeague for two years to build a stable competition pyramid that benefits all European clubs, not just a few, and that protects national leagues, federations, and the calendars of the national teams. With three different chief executives on the other side, the process has been complex but critical.

It was in this context that NBA entered the scene. The president of FIBA Europe assured that the American league has been asked the same thing that EuroLeague has: to respect the peculiarities of European basketball and contribute to a model that strengthens the entire ecosystem. Since the beginning, NBA has shown understanding towards these demands, which has narrowed the relationship between both parties in recent months.

NBA Europe: schedule set for October 2027

The schedule is defined. NBA and FIBA are targeting October 2027 for the launch of NBA Europe, with a format of 16 teams: 12 with permanent licenses and four that will qualify each season. This model aims to guarantee stability for historic clubs while maintaining access opportunities for other entities.

Kamil Novak, executive director of FIBA Europe, provided the most concrete news: the announcement of the markets and awardees of the 12 permanent licenses will come "very soon." Novak acknowledged that the market response has exceeded all expectations. It is surprising to see so many entities suddenly willing to invest in European basketball, which demonstrates the commercial potential of a competition backed by the NBA.

Possible scenarios in the negotiations

Garbajosa was clear about future scenarios. A tripartite agreement among FIBA, NBA, and EuroLeague would be ideal, and all parties involved agree on this. However, if no understanding is reached with EuroLeague, FIBA will move forward with its project alongside NBA. The goal, he insisted, is to advance European basketball, regardless of the final structure.

This position reflects the determination of the international body not to allow bilateral negotiations between NBA and EuroLeague to hinder the development of quality European competitions. FIBA presents itself as the guarantor of the general interest of the sport on the continent.

Criticism of EuroLeague decisions

The president of FIBA Europe also had harsh words for a recent decision by EuroLeague: the creation of its own Super Cup. Garbajosa defended national super cups as traditional high-level tournaments and considered that the new continental tournament, based in the Middle East, only benefits a few clubs. "These things do not help," he lamented.

Nonetheless, he softened the tone by recalling that Adam Silver and Mark Tatum, on behalf of the NBA, and Dejan Bodiroga, president of EuroLeague, have publicly repeated that they seek an agreement that benefits all clubs in Europe. This declaration of intent keeps the door open for a trilateral understanding.

How the NBA got involved in European discussions

Novak added a detail that nuances the narrative of recent months. Two or three years ago, FIBA and EuroLeague were very close to reaching an agreement. It was EuroLeague itself that requested at the beginning of 2024 for the NBA to join the discussions, with the idea that the American league would support its commercial activities. This strategic shift completely changed the dynamics of the negotiations.

The Czech executive summarized FIBA's stance in a central idea: to create an ecosystem in which any club in Europe can grow step by step if it makes the right decisions. This vision contrasts with more closed models that favor only established elites and represents the approach that FIBA will defend in the coming months of crucial negotiations for the future of continental basketball.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, FIBA busca acuerdo en negociaciones NBA-Euroliga