EuroLeague remains open to talks with the National Basketball Association -NBA- after its shareholder clubs rejected a collaboration proposal on 6 October. Chief executive Chus Bueno confirmed in an interview with ‘Reuters’ on Monday that discussions had continued after that meeting and warned against dividing the European basketball market between rival competitions. “The telephone lines are open and, if something has not worked, maybe there’s something that can work in the future,” he said. That willingness to negotiate sits alongside EuroLeague’s own strategy: expanding the competition, converting licences into franchises and announcing new additions in mid-November.
The owners’ rejection in Como, Italy, concerned the proposal presented, leaving room for a future agreement. The NBA and the International Basketball Federation -FIBA- subsequently reiterated their intention to develop a European league, targeting a 2027 launch with a proposed sixteen-team structure: twelve permanent teams and four qualifying on sporting merit. Bueno says EuroLeague will consider further proposals, provided they serve its clubs’ interests. Both sides therefore retain the possibility of working together while developing projects that could compete for teams, investment and audiences.
The cost of leaving EuroLeague
The shareholders’ commitments form part of that negotiation. Bueno said all thirteen clubs had signed ten-year franchise agreements tied to the expansion plan. He explained that leaving would involve a contractual penalty and potential individual claims from other clubs, alongside the loss of shareholdings he valued at more than €80 million. That figure represents the equity value cited by the executive, rather than a fixed exit fine. He also said any club seeking to return would have to pay the entry price applicable at that time. These are the consequences described by EuroLeague’s management; their application would depend on the contracts and the circumstances of each departure.
Bueno considers it unlikely that teams will leave the competition to join NBA Europe. “I think that the teams want to be together and act together. And this is what I’m hearing and what we heard in Lake Como from all of them,” he said. His argument combines the value of belonging to a shared structure with the costs of breaking that relationship. Contractual commitments may strengthen EuroLeague’s negotiating position, but cannot guarantee that every club will stay. Equally, NBA interest in existing clubs does not amount to confirmed agreements for them to join.
Twenty-four teams and a new financial model
Expansion is also taking shape on the sporting side. Dejan Bodiroga, EuroLeague’s president, told the programme ‘Radar Forum’ that the competition would grow from twenty to twenty-four teams in 2027-28, divided into two conferences whose composition criteria have yet to be determined. The process envisages up to eight new franchises, alongside the conversion of the thirteen shareholders’ licences. That does not automatically mean adding eight teams to the current twenty: franchises govern long-term participation and may be awarded to clubs already playing in the competition. The framework also provides qualification places through the EuroCup.
The business plan unveiled on Friday projects distributions of €3.4 billion to participating teams over ten years: €2.2 billion from revenues and €1.2 billion from franchise fees, with potential expansion windows in 2027 and 2031. The organisation acknowledges that around 40% of its licensed clubs are financially sustainable and aims to extend that position through commercial growth and financial controls. These figures are projections, rather than money already secured. Moreover, recurring revenues and new franchise payments serve different financial purposes: long-term stability will also depend on sustaining commercial activity and controlling costs.
Negotiating over a shared market
Bueno’s warning about fragmentation reflects the risk EuroLeague sees in two competitions pursuing clubs, players, sponsors, broadcasting deals and space in the calendar. The NBA and FIBA argue that their project can attract capital and grow European basketball’s business through a combination of permanent membership and sporting qualification. Competition could create opportunities for new investors and cities, while also dividing attention and resources between separate offerings. The outcome would depend on which teams participate, the revenues generated and how their commitments fit alongside domestic leagues and national-team competitions.
The new additions Bueno expects to announce in November, together with confirmation of NBA Europe’s participants, will help establish how much room remains for a shared structure. An agreement would require decisions on clubs’ involvement in governance, entry conditions and revenue distribution. For now, the full terms of the rejected proposal remain undisclosed, and no new agreement has been announced. This latest phase combines continued discussions with progress on both projects: decisions on franchises and participating teams will increasingly define the scope for collaboration.
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