NBA finalizing Europe league club deals, Tatum says
MSGS•The NBA is close to finalizing agreements with clubs for the initial phase of NBA Europe and plans to announce the teams soon. Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said the league aims to start in October 2027 and projects permanent franchises will be profitable by Year 3.
1. Club agreements nearing
The NBA is close to finalizing agreements with clubs for NBA Europe’s initial phase, Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said, with an announcement planned in the “not-too-distant future.” He said the league is still targeting an October 2027 launch, despite major European clubs recently declining an offer to partner with the NBA.
2. Different league models
NBA Europe, formally announced by the NBA and FIBA in March, is planned as a mix of permanent franchises and teams qualifying annually based on performance. Tatum said the NBA’s vision differs from Euroleague’s, which currently has 13 permanent shareholder clubs and plans to expand to 24 teams.
3. Profitability projections
Tatum said permanent NBA Europe franchises are projected to be profitable by Year 3 and that the league projects multibillion-dollar distributions to clubs over its first decade. Euroleague says about 40% of its licensed clubs are financially sustainable and projects all licensed clubs will reach sustainability by the end of the first phase of its 10-year business plan.
