Overview
- Starting in January, the partners will engage prospective teams and owners, seek nonbinding bids, and aim for an NBA Board of Governors vote in March to approve the project, according to multiple reports.
- The NBA will court founding sponsors at a London summit on January 19, the day after the Grizzlies–Magic game at the O2, in an event led by senior league executives.
- The proposed structure combines permanent slots with annual qualification via the Basketball Champions League or a season‑ending tournament, and it would align with domestic league and national team calendars.
- JPMorgan and the Raine Group have canvassed investor interest, with media reporting franchise buy‑ins in the $500 million to $1 billion range and sources citing meetings with at least 70 potential backers.
- Planners are evaluating a 16‑team model and markets such as London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, Munich, Berlin, Athens and Istanbul, while questions persist over EuroLeague pushback, legacy club participation and arena commitments.