The NBA has reportedly given EuroLeague until October 6 to accept a collaboration proposal that requires the competition to retain its current 13-shareholder structure and put planned expansion on hold.

The NBA has given EuroLeague until October 6 to respond to its proposal for a potential collaboration, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The NBA’s proposal reportedly comes with a key condition: EuroLeague must remain in its current structure, putting its planned expansion to 24 teams and transition toward a franchise model on hold.

The offer is based on EuroLeague’s existing group of 13 shareholder clubs: Olimpia Milano, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Fenerbahce, Anadolu Efes, Panathinaikos, Olympiacos, Maccabi, Bayern, ASVEL, Baskonia, Zalgiris, and CSKA.

According to Gazzetta, changing the number or status of those shareholders would invalidate the current proposal.

Meanwhile, EuroLeague CEO Chus Bueno has been working in parallel on a long-term plan that would expand the competition and introduce additional franchises.

The proposal is being discussed at the EuroLeague owners’ meeting in Cernobbio, Italy.

NBA Europe moving toward October 2027 launch

The NBA continues preparations for NBA Europe, which is targeting an October 2027 launch. The proposed competition is expected to feature 16 teams, with 12 permanent franchises and four places available through annual qualification.

The NBA is reportedly already at an advanced stage in its search for permanent franchises, with a frontrunner identified in each of its 12 target cities: Milan, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Manchester, Paris, Lyon, Berlin, Munich, Istanbul, and Athens.

Gazzetta reported that the NBA intends to move forward with the project regardless of whether an agreement with EuroLeague is reached.

FIBA is partnering with the NBA on the broader NBA Europe project but is not participating directly in the current NBA-EuroLeague negotiations.

FIBA Europe president Jorge Garbajosa previously told BasketNews that those talks are a bilateral matter between the two organizations, although FIBA has tried to bring them closer and facilitate an agreement.

Full BN interview with Jorge Garbajosa and Kamil Novak: The NBA Doesn’t Understand European Basketball

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