NBA In Europe - Sooner than expected?

[Gedas]

Spanish press report, that Real Madrid will join the NBA in the 09-10 season. It is said, that the team owner already has an agreement with D. Stern and is ready to invest over 600 million Euros to make this happen. A new arena, worth 100 million Euros is also starting to be constructed in half a year. Looks like one European team will probably be in the NBA in a couple of years. There are also rumours about teams from Paris, London, Roma, maybe another team from Spain (Barcelona?).

[shadowgrin]

It will be a flash in the pan and be a failure for any European endeavor.
The league (NBA) can't even help keep the Grizzlies in Vancouver.

[Axel]

I dont want the NBA to be in Europe.

[J@3]

Me neither. What's the point? Leave things as they are.

[volsey]

We don't need more teams, especially not in Europe. Some teams are way too weak as it is, Stern is just doing this to give the NBA a better less black look probably. I don't want to watch highlights where in the backround I here spanish announcers.

[Gedas]

I hate the idea of NBA ruenning European basketball. Hopefully these few teams wont interract in any way with the European Bball as it is. I would just hate the idea of having to watch NBA style games in Europes. Leave the "run&shoot" overseas, let real basketball survive.

[nets4life]

if europe gets in the action then china will want it too. SAY NO STERN... YOU FUCKED IT UP ALREADY

[arrell]

I don't get it, how would it all work? Would teams travel to and from Europe? Wouldn't th e jetlag be crazy? It is pretty stupid of the NBA trying to globalize outside the North American region. I say work on your own continent first. Why not even try a team in South America? They have the numbers, decent players, but am not too sure about the finances.

[maes]

And every NBA team would have to travel to Spain for every game vs Real Madrid? No way that will happen.

Stern has been trying to make a separate league in Europe, but he said in a SI article that's been roadblocked for many years because Europe already has a very strong establishment in basketball. He said it was more likely for the NBA to create another league in Asia than Europe.

[cyanide]

I don't like the idea of adding more teams, and especially not in Europe. Can you imagine the strain of transportation and scheduling problems? Aye.

[Chris_23]

I'm an european and I prefer if NBA stays in US and Canada. Really, I'd much rather have around the teams in North America than some Madrids and Londons and whateverelse.

NBA is international league, but it should have certain limits on it's internationalness. While european basketball is very good and has strongly caught up, and passed NBA basketball due to playing 80s NBA style basketball instead of NBA's modern individual focused basketball (which is better for individual achievements but lesser as far as team strength goes), I really don't want the two to mix. Sure, NBA basketball gets killed in world championships but who -really- cares?

But hey, it's Stern, he tends to experiment. Alot.

[Andrew]

I'm skeptical about this; such a change would be huge news for the NBA yet there haven't been so much as whispers about it from anywhere else. Personally, I hope it's merely tabloid fare as I don't believe European expansion is something the NBA needs.

[Axel]

I don't get it, how would it all work? Would teams travel to and from Europe? Wouldn't th e jetlag be crazy? It is pretty stupid of the NBA trying to globalize outside the North American region. I say work on your own continent first. Why not even try a team in South America? They have the numbers, decent players, but am not too sure about the finances.

I agree, stay in North America. I think a Canada should be the primary target for the NBA. I wasn't a real NBA fan back when the Vancouver Grizzlies were a franchise, but wasn't it's demise due to poor management (which led to lack of fan support)? If so, I think it's plausible that Canada could support several other teams; Toronto seems to be a huge fan base, despite having a really bad team year in and year out. Maybe Calgary? Vancouver? I think keeping it closer to the US is a better strategy, but first there needs to be more young players developed so the league isn't watered down.

[joejam999]

This is gonna suck If it happens.

[hipn]

If it does happen, the NBA will fall apart. Language will be a problem. Time zones/schedules will be a problem.

TV ratings will fall apart. Imagine the Raps vs Real Madrid. Fans in Toronto might have to stay up until 1o'clock in the morning to see the game, andI know the majority (most) of the fans will not stay up that late.

[shadowgrin]

I wasn't a real NBA fan back when the Vancouver Grizzlies were a franchise, but wasn't it's demise due to poor management (which led to lack of fan support)?

You're right, but the league sometimes intervenes directly to keep the team stay in the city and help in any way (financially, administratively, get back fan support, etc.).
The NBA did it with some mediocre teams back then like Cleveland and Charlotte. The league almost did that with Seattle, Atlanta (before the Belkin? group I think), and even the Knicks until Dolan somewhat warned Stern to mind his own business.

[Matt]

not happening.....costs are too high.....it's all about profits. Besides, how many American players would want to be traded to Europe?

[cklitsie]

This would be fucked up.. Real Madrid isn't good enough to be in the NBA.
They got beaten by a Dutch team a couple weeks ago, 'nuff said.

[Tuomas]

Fans in Toronto might have to stay up until 1o'clock in the morning to see the game, andI know the majority (most) of the fans will not stay up that late.

How about waking up at 2:30 to watch a game? That's how we do.

[Andrew]

not happening.....costs are too high.....it's all about profits. Besides, how many American players would want to be traded to Europe?

Considering players aren't always happy to be traded halfway across the United States, I don't think too many would relish the idea of being traded to another continent. If the NBA is keen on regular global competition, perhaps they could resurrect the McDonalds Open or a similar tournament pitting the NBA champions against champions from other leagues around the world.

Still no word on this from any US source which makes me think it is indeed tabloid fodder based on Stern's various expressions of interest in having NBA teams situated in Europe throughout the years. It's too big a story for it not to be all over the sports news.

[Matt]

lets not forget the rampant racism in Europe

[j.23]

not a big fan of the idea, it would definitely suck for the players to fly to europe and back. i was thinking though, it'd be pretty sweet if the NBA set up two leagues - one in north america and another one perhaps in asia or europe, and have the winner of the respective leagues face off for the "world championship". probably wont happen, but pretty sweet nonetheless.

[Kremsku]

Language will be a problem. Fans in Toronto might have to stay up until 1o'clock in the morning to see the game, andI know the majority (most) of the fans will not stay up that late.

How about waking up at 2:30 to watch a game? That's how we do.

Hyvin sanottu kaima.

Language will be a problem? No dude, Europeans speak fluent English. It is American people who don't speak other languages...

There are so many but's in this that it won't happen. The biggest problem is not the game itself, because European game will evenually reach NBA. It's not yet as good, but from here we get to the biggest problem= MONEY.

There are no "I became a billionare in a week" -guys in Europe and the game hasn't so big meaning here that bigger companies etc. would invest the money needed.
We play soccer

Don't talk about flying problems... Did you forget that it takes about the same time to fly from NY to LA than it takes to fly from NY to Paris...
I haven't heard you complaining about flying across your own country.

[eisfeld]

If this is going to happen the NBA loses it's professional touch. The Euroleague is weaker than the NBA and I can't think of many stars who would prefer playing in Spain. The problem about travelling has been adressed before so I don't want to go into detail. When the NBA plans to expand, why not establishing new teams in bigger markets like Las Vegas, San Diego, San Jose or Baltimore?

Bringing European teams to the NBA would be a mistake. You may play NBA Champion vs. Euroleague Champion in the off-season to really determine the World Champion but playing a regular season with European teams is nonsense.

[Matt]

Don't talk about flying problems... Did you forget that it takes about the same time to fly from NY to LA than it takes to fly from NY to Paris...
I haven't heard you complaining about flying across your own country.

The difference between Pacific and Eastern time zones is 3 hrs.....difference between Pacific & Madrid is 6hrs and East & Madrid is 9hrs. Time zones would make things too complicated

Secondly, the costs of flying internationally are much greater than domestically. The costs that the Madrid team would have to fork out would be huge.....and of course this would burden other teams, something the owners would not be happy about.