"The 16-team model calls for 12 permanent franchises, Aivagolozu said. He listed current target countries as Britain (with the potential host cities there being London and Manchester), France (Paris and Lyon), Spain (Madrid and Barcelona), Italy (Rome and Milan), Germany (Munich and Berlin), Greece (Athens) and Turkey (Istanbul). No deals with any city or club have been formally announced by the NBA at this point."
"The other four teams in the league could qualify by winning either FIBA's Basketball Champions League or through their performance in domestic leagues in Europe, Aivagolozu said. That possible element -- having teams qualify through the domestic league finishes -- "is probably the most exciting part of the plan, because we all know that the domestic leagues today are not necessarily what they had been 20 or 30 years ago," Aivagolozu said."
The NBA and FIBA are planning a Europe-based professional basketball league targeting an October 2027 launch. The league model envisions 16 teams: 12 permanent franchises and four slots filled through qualification by winning FIBA's Basketball Champions League or through performance in domestic European leagues. Current target countries include Britain (London or Manchester), France (Paris or Lyon), Spain (Madrid or Barcelona), Italy (Rome or Milan), Germany (Munich or Berlin), Greece (Athens) and Turkey (Istanbul). The inaugural season may be a partial "semi-opening" without all franchise slots allocated. Talks with teams, investors and stakeholders are ongoing and no formal franchise agreements have been announced.
Read at ESPN.com
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