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oct 29 2026EuroLeague is open to NBA discussions but has clear conditions. CEO Chus Bueno detailed in an interview with EFE agency the terms shareholder clubs would accept for an NBA Europe alliance: all 13 shareholders must be included, economic conditions must be renegotiated, and clubs must retain decision-making power.
"If they want to come to Europe and partner with us, the clubs have to be part of this model and we need to discuss the economic terms," Bueno summarized. "This is a discussion that's on the table. The clubs are open to joining, but they want everyone in and to find the best formulas so they don't have to invest so much."
All 13 Shareholders, or None
The first condition is that the project includes all 13 clubs with shareholder status: Anadolu Efes, Baskonia, CSKA Moscow, Olimpia Milano, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Fenerbahçe, ASVEL, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Real Madrid, and Žalgiris.
Bueno warns that leaving some clubs out would further divide European basketball. "EuroLeague and EuroCup are not going to disappear. Some clubs have already told me: 'If you reach an agreement with the NBA and leave us out, we'll create our own competition.' If we don't solve the problem for everyone, there will be more competitions, whatever they're called," he explained.
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Money: The Other Major Difference
The second condition is economic. NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum had argued that the NBA Europe model would distribute far more money to clubs than EuroLeague's ten-year business plan. Bueno counters that comparison because, in his view, it overlooks the initial investment required by the American project: "If franchises invest 500 million euros and earn 240 million in ten years, they're still losing 260 million. In our case they don't lose money because they don't invest anything. If they generate 100 or 200, that's what they generate."
Deciding Their Own Future
The third condition is maintaining decision-making power. "The clubs have a very clear position: they'll want to be part of decision-making. They created a league that's theirs and they want to keep deciding their future," Bueno stated, recalling that EuroLeague already approved converting its shareholder licenses into franchises. "The clubs have changed their mindset. They want stability and won't give up this status."
Still, the CEO insists the door remains open. He acknowledges that the NBA "knows a lot about marketing and creating brand value" and could "accelerate EuroLeague's growth," but defends the value of the structure the European competition already has: "We have the capacity and experience to operate in a diverse ecosystem, and we have the best clubs and fans."
