"We definitely want a team here [in Milan]. The city's brand is one of the most important in the world. There are two great football teams, there's a great basketball team, Armani, so there's no way we can forget Milan when we think about the cities we want in our league. There are many conversations underway with the city's ecosystem to understand what the club and the arena will be like."
"Milan or Inter? I can't comment on the ongoing discussions. But I can say that we will have teams in three categories. First, we're talking to some existing basketball teams. Second, we're talking to football teams that have a strong brand, and therefore a great fan base, but don't have a basketball team. Many of the most interesting conversations we're having in this country and in this city are of this type. And there are situations, in very limited cases, where we'll start from scratch."
NBA plans a Europe-based 16-team league targeting October 2027 as a potential launch date, collaborating with FIBA. The league model will feature 12 permanent franchises and four spots filled via FIBA's Basketball Champions League or domestic-league performance. Target host cities include London, Manchester, Paris, Lyon, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, Munich, Berlin, Athens and Istanbul. Milan is a priority, with conversations ongoing with existing basketball clubs, football clubs without basketball teams, and occasional new-start entities. A soft launch in 2027 or 2028 is possible because logistical constraints may prevent filling all slots immediately.
Read at SempreMilan
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