COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The NBA is moving toward agreements with a number of European soccer powerhouses to help stand up a new, continental basketball league in the Old Country, four sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations told The Athletic.
The NBA has long courted the deep pockets and branding strength of some of Europe’s top soccer clubs as anchor members of NBA Europe, which is supposed to launch next fall. Those talks have been serious for months, but according to sources from both sports who spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations are ongoing, recent events are strong signs of momentum propelling the NBA toward deals with various soccer giants.
For instance, Mark Tatum, deputy commissioner for the NBA and commissioner Adam Silver’s chief representative on foreign affairs, was a guest Tuesday at the European Football Clubs annual conference, hosted by EFC and Paris Saint-Germain soccer president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
It wasn’t so much what Tatum said, but who hosted him and who was in the audience, those sources said, that point to the NBA’s progress toward striking deals with big soccer clubs.
The Qatari-owned Paris soccer giant has long been considered a favorite to start a new Paris-based basketball team for NBA Europe.
Tatum and George Aivazoglou, a senior vice president for the NBA overseeing operations in Europe and the Middle East, were spotted at the conference Tuesday in private discussions with leaders from PSG, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and AC Milan — all soccer giants that have expressed interest in joining NBA Europe. PSG and AC Milan do not currently own basketball clubs.
Next week in Italy, the EuroLeague, Europe’s top continental basketball competition, will hold a meeting of its shareholders to consider proposals from the NBA to acquire EuroLeague and merge it with the new NBA Europe, those sources said.
The Review
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun
A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine.
PROS
- Good low light camera
- Water resistant
- Double the internal capacity
CONS
- Lacks clear upgrades
- Same design used for last three phones
- Battery life unimpressive
Review Breakdown
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Design
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Performance
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Camera
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Battery
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Price
