NBA to form European Division within 10 years

Discussion in 'MLS: General' started by triplet1, Feb 13, 2008.

  1. triplet1

    triplet1 BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 25, 2006
    Fresh on the heels of the Premiership's plans to play league games around the world, there are reports that the NBA will form a five team European Division that will play a regular league schedule which will be up an running within ten years. The announcement could come at the All Star game.

    http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/02/13/nbas-european-expansion-on-the-table/



    Real Madrid had been one of the clubs that made a pitch to Stern in 2006.

    http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2614550


    Globalization of sports is picking up speed.
     
  2. socluis90

    socluis90 Member+

    Aug 11, 2004
    So Cal
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That's cool, the more sports the better.
     
  3. FC Tallavana

    FC Tallavana Member+

    Jul 1, 2004
    La Quinta
    I'm all for exporting the NBA and importing some better soccer. As far as I'm concerned -- and numbers be damned -- that would essentially eliminate our trade deficit.
     
  4. bvolt3000

    bvolt3000 New Member

    Sep 9, 2006
    Nashville
    David Stern is the biggest moron on the planet
    Every day i like the NBA less and less
    He needs to focus on getting his refs not to cheat and some teams in the US to sell out some stadiums (Memphis) rather than getting a few more followers in Belgium
    Garber is smarter than the other 4 major league commishes combined
    God we are lucky...
     
  5. triplet1

    triplet1 BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 25, 2006
    Here is the SI article:

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ian_thomsen/02/13/international.expansion/index.html

    This was interesting -- there may be an AEG tie in here:

    Of course, AEG was the developer of the O2 and currently operates the facility for English Partnerships, and is currently developing the O2 World in Berlin -- where AEG's Berlin based hockey team Eisbären Berlin will also play. AEG also owns the Staples Center and a piece of the Lakers, so they have NBA connections.
     
  6. Bill Schmidt

    Bill Schmidt BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 3, 2003
    Washington, DC
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    There's also a new basketball "League of the Americas" currently in its first season, IIRC, which seems to be getting attention in Latin America. That might work into the NBA's analysis, too.
     
  7. the shelts

    the shelts Member+

    Jun 30, 2005
    Providence RI
    Club:
    Nottingham Forest FC
    If the NBA is serious about this, and it sounds like they are, then Spain, Italy and Greece will be the 3 most obvious choices. London will be attractive as it is culturally a lot closer to the US but the London Towers have been on a hiatus and the BBL is just stumbling along.
     
  8. Freddy Garcia Lives

    Feb 28, 2003
    Tumwater, WA
    Of course Stern is smart to do this. It is better to have Europe as a branch of the NBA then to eventually loose players and profits to a Euro league that could eventually challenge the NBA for quality and player compensation.
     
  9. Stan Collins

    Stan Collins Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Silver Spring, MD
    Kinda ironic you should mention that. From the same author as the last article:
    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ian_thomsen/02/01/weekly.countdown/2.html
     
  10. Intru

    Intru Member

    Mar 16, 2006
    Rochester, NY
    Club:
    Puerto Rico Islanders
    I dont know if this idea is as solid as it sound, Spain, Greace and Italy have very nicely define league and I doubt most people will follow this NBA teams.
     
  11. FC Matt 90

    FC Matt 90 New Member

    Aug 1, 2006
    Philadelphia
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    He needs to focus on improving the crap product that the NBA has become. I just love watching 10 guys who can jump really high and dunk but couldn't hit a jump shot for their life and ignore the fundamentals :rolleyes: The college game is so much more exciting and better to watch; the players have passion, there are many more fundamentally sound players, and the season isn't 50 games too long. Until NBA teams start drafting players who have sound games and solid fundamentals instead of just drafting the best athletes with the beloved "upside", the NBA product will continue to be crap.
     
  12. foozer

    foozer Member

    Dec 19, 2005
    Indy
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    FWIW, I remember reading a Wall Street Journal article from a couple weeks ago saying the NBA was working in China to establish an "NBA China" league.
     
  13. scheck

    scheck Member

    Mar 13, 2007
    Denver
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    NBA needs a champions league
     
  14. triplet1

    triplet1 BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 25, 2006
    This is all very preliminary, but some speculation might be kinda fun, especially with how it might impact MLS:

    (1) If the NBA pulls this off with an 82 game season, it will certainly demonstrate that a trans-Atlantic league -- or a transcontinental league -- can work and that the travel issues are bearable. I think that could have a profound impact on professional sports, including soccer. Suddenly, every major team is going to look at a transcontinental league, whether they expand like the EPL, or they break away as G-14 once contemplated, but unlike the Euro-League UEFA was worried about, these will be global.

    (2) It gets even more interesting for MLS if Real Madrid is indeed one of the teams in the NBA's new European Division -- and they made the pitch to Stern, remember. Already one of the most recognized brands on the planet, they will get tremendous exposure in the United States with basketball fans who have never heard of them before. I would expect them to cross market their teams, and MLS might follow right in their wake.

    (3) If Real Madrid does grow comfortable with the notion of an international league and some American sports conventions, they could become a very important connection for MLS, and AEG would seem well positioned to take advantage of it, Beckham notwithstanding, if AEG does provide some of the arenas. People forget AEG not only owns Staples, but a small piece of the Lakers -- a glamour team Real Madrid could certainly relate to. They may well be in a position to help each other.

    There are other "what ifs" of course, some more or less fanciful, but this is potentially a sea change event IMO.
     
  15. ritsoccer86

    ritsoccer86 Member

    Jul 18, 2005
    The European Leagues are so much better than the NBA. There is more passion among the fans. It's basically a Man U/Duke type atmosphere at the best team's games.

    In the NBA, I really HATE the atmosphere. Atlanta Hawks fans? Holy Crap, don't go there, there are some scary folks. Try looking across the stadium and you'll see pimps, prostitutes, and extremely ugly and fat folks. They just sit slouching in their cheers guzzling down a lot of hotdogs and beer and yelling at the same time....all the while sitting ALONE by themselves.

    Seriously, the NBA is THE worst league in terms of fan dedication. MOST of the teams are like that.

    As for European basketball, they're just supremely superior due to their attention to the basics and being passionate about the game.

    I'm not surprised in the NBA's interests into tapping the European market. Don't be surprised that once the European teams join, they'll trash their American counterparts.
     
  16. JoeDub83

    JoeDub83 New Member

    Oct 20, 2001
    MISSOULA,MT 420
    Basketball is fast becoming the world's #2 sport behind soccer. This would be a great move by the NBA and may be a much needed post-jordan spark that the league needs. The same spark that happened in the 70's when the ABA merged could be similar to what happens when Europe enters the league. I hope this happens.
     
  17. JoeDub83

    JoeDub83 New Member

    Oct 20, 2001
    MISSOULA,MT 420
    Dude that is a crazy statement. you are basing your argument on the fans of the ATLANTA HAWKS. One of the worst franchises in the NBA and they never win. The NBA has some of the best fans in any league and also in any sport "in terms of fan dedication" as you put it ......really? The hawks? How about the Warriors fans? Chicago? LA? Indiana? Philadelphia? New York? San Antonio? Detroit? Toronto? You cant say they dont have atmosphere and lack dedication.
     
  18. gdark

    gdark New Member

    Jun 18, 2006
    Just curious, how old are you, son? And for that matter, do your parents konw that you're using the internet?
     
  19. lond2345

    lond2345 Member

    Aug 19, 2002
    USA
    l.a?? their fans are average and the only good fan they have is Jack Nicholson.
     
  20. arsynic

    arsynic Red Card

    Jan 2, 2007
    Santa Barbara
    LA fans are great when they get "up for it."




    as far as euro teams trashing nba teams....:rolleyes:
     
  21. The Blind Pig

    The Blind Pig Member

    Jul 14, 2005
    Section 8
    mls n&a??????????
     
  22. scheck

    scheck Member

    Mar 13, 2007
    Denver
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    That would be horrible for domestic leagues, as no country would have a top division, just a minor league system that funnels players up to the New Yorks, Londons and Paris of the world. At least now there's 3-4 big leagues that compete with each other, think of it being only 1.

    And what good would the champions league serve then? It'd either be relegated to UEFA cup status, with UEFA being kicked a further notch down, or it'd be disbanded completely, as we'd already have a world class competition.

    Would you have to have promotion and relegation with this system? Like, MLS cup winner to World Premier league?


    Bottom line is that it would take money away from domestic leagues.
     
  23. socluis90

    socluis90 Member+

    Aug 11, 2004
    So Cal
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Average in what sense?
     
  24. triplet1

    triplet1 BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 25, 2006

    Who knows how this would evolve, but if I had to pick one model to look at, I would study what happened with the realignment of major college conferences in the past ten years. Recall how the ACC grabbed a couple schools to move way outside of their traditional boundaries (and triggering lawsuits in their wake), leaving them with a very different basketball schedule that upset the purists. The Big East responded by grabbing the strongest teams from Conference USA, and so on. Multiple leagues cherry picking teams largely for economics -- in this case getting to sufficient size for conference championship football games -- despite an real outcry from many fans. But I suspect many did make more money.

    Take that on a much larger scale and I think that gives you some idea of what you might see. Some domestic leagues will morph into something bigger, while others will be formed when clubs break away. The other domestic leagues will survive, but I think they will get knocked down another notch or two on the pole. As for Champions League, well, you see why UEFA is so strident about blocking globalization -- they want to remain the showcase event for international club football. The FAs will scream, the confederations will scream, but if the clubs are determined, they will get there way.
     
  25. WarrenWallace

    WarrenWallace Member

    Mar 12, 1999
    Beer and Cheese
    While I am not really a NBA fan, prefer the high school and college game instead, who cares about the fans and/or atmosphere. When I have gone to NBA games in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Milwaukee, I watch the game on the court. Atmosphere doesn't really mean much. It is like when I watch a MLS game. I watch the game on the field.
     

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