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Nieuws
- 3 hours ago
Celtic and Man Utd among clubs urged to enter new NBA Europe basketball league
Martin Macdonald
- 14 Jan 2026 07:45 CST
- 7 min read
Nieuws
Celtic and Manchester United are just two of the football clubs being urged to branch out into basketball with the expected launch of NBA Europe.
The National Basketball Association in America oversees basketball as the second most popular sport in the United States behind the NFL.
Discussions are underway with major investors in the hopes that the first season of NBA Europe can tip off in 2027, with teams such as Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich described as ‘almost certain’ to join with their own basketball teams.
The move is being lined up to grow the NBA’s brand outside the USA, with Gazzetta dello Sport reporting that franchises could be created in 10-12 major cities across the continent, with it costing around €250-500 million to join the league.
Barcelona and Real Madrid, notably, already have basketball teams under their sports club banner but Barca have crucially agreed a 10-year deal to remain with current European basketball league 'EuroLeague' which will come as a blow to NBA Europe.
NBA Europe will rely on big brand clubs to generate significant interest.
Speaking to BOYLE Sports, Professor Dr Rob Wilson - Director of Executive Education at University Campus of Football Business in London and a Professor of Applied Sports Finance - said: “From a sports finance perspective, Manchester United's entering NBA Europe could be a huge move. United is one of the world’s most powerful sports brands, worth billions (around $8 billion) in equity and global reach. Attaching that brand to a new NBA Europe franchise creates immediate commercial upside for both parties.
“NBA Europe is being pitched as a solution to a European basketball market currently valued in the low hundreds of millions against an estimated $50 billion broader opportunity, meaning there is a huge gap between current value and potential commercial monetisation.
“United’s involvement instantly elevates broadcast appeal, sponsorship interest, and merchandising pathways because global partners will pay ahead of scale when a club with United’s footprint is involved. The upside is that the club diversifies income beyond football with a high-growth vertical that leverages NBA media rights and fan engagement, and the league gains one of the planet’s most bankable sports brands to drive early adoption and valuation.”
When asked what other clubs may or should join, Dr Wilson responded:
“Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, given their links to Olympiacos through owner Evangelos Marinakis and their existing netball franchise. Celtic, without question, with Rangers and Hibs running behind, but I would almost say Hibs before Rangers. After Forest, I do wonder about Leeds United and Arsenal, given their owners, followed by Chelsea and then Liverpool, in that order. Manchester City is an outside bet.”
LeBron James and Steph Curry called upon
Wilson believes that NBA legends like LeBron James and Steph Curry will need to be involved to some degree to catalyse more interest in a new European competition.
“NBA London functions differently from the NFL’s presence in the UK because basketball has far more room to grow from a smaller base," he explained.
“The NFL has achieved televised schedule success and regular-season games in London that underpin steady growth, whereas basketball is still a niche sport in the UK and wider Europe.
“However, that means there is upside potential that the NFL does not have and any increase in basketball’s share of the sports entertainment wallet is incremental ‘new value’ rather than redistribution of existing value.
“For local clubs like the London Lions, the arrival of NBA franchises, high-profile games featuring global stars, and an expanding NBA ecosystem can be largely beneficial rather than cannibalistic.
“It raises the sport’s profile, draws new interest into domestic leagues and increases sponsorship appetite because brands can attach to a broader narrative arc including grassroots to elite pathways.
“The leverage of global icons like LeBron James or Steph Curry in marketing and events can accelerate this process and create commercial opportunities that were previously constrained by limited visibility.
“The real risk is managing the balance between global spectacle and local development so teams like the Lions can capture a share of the rising economic pie without being overshadowed by an imported product.”
The NBA have made large attempts to market in Europe, with a number of matches scheduled across the continent in the coming years, starting in London in January 2026 as well as Berlin, Manchester and Paris in the following months.
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