NBA European Division

[DarkJourney]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writ...sion/index.html

[Brian in Boston]

Very interesting. I, for one, am intrigued by the idea. I'd welcome an NBA European Division comprised of franchises in Berlin, London, Madrid, Rome and a fifth city to be determined. Very forward thinking on Stern's part.

[jkrdevil]

Well I'm sure the players are going to love the idea of long road trips to Europe. Likewise I'm sure TNT and ESPN are going to love the idea of possibility of having big late round and finals games played in the middle of the afternoon Eastern time and in the morning Pacific time in the middle of the week because the game is over in Europe. Then there is always that great ratings maker that a Toronto vs London series would bring. Would the TV money in Europe be there considering most of the playoff games would be in the middle of the night local time?

I understand the idea and see why the NBA would be interested but there are a lot of obstacles.

[Luigi74]

If this ever happens, I bet within ten years 3 of the teams will be contracted and the other two would move to the U.S.

[TFoA]

I agree with jkrdevil. I like the idea, but there are way too many obstacles for this to work effectively, IMO. If they can somehow get this to work, more power to them.

[PeytonManningRocks]

Like everyone else has said, there are a bunch of obstacles that are too much to cope with. With that being said, though, I disagree with the poster that said the teams will contract within 5-10 years... I think the teams would actually be pretty successful.... there is an actual interest in basketball amongst most Europeans (unlike American football which is really only popular in England and Germany).

With that being said, imagine the nightmarish possibilities for team nicknames and logos

[Saint Zephyr III]

Well, each American team could go on "international road-trips"; essentially, they would go ahead and face all the teams of the European Division in a five-game road trip. That way, there's no traveling back and forth every week or so.

Or if they decide to make that NBA China into a division, you could attach the international divisions to a certain conference depending on the year.

[CC97]

Then there is always that great ratings maker that a Toronto vs London series would bring.

They'd be great in Canada and the United Kingdom, and if there are basketball fans in the United States I imagine people would be watching there -- Canada went through ten consecutive seasons of all-American Stanley Cup finals and it still drew great ratings up here -- remember, there are people and television sets that exist outside of the United States.

[jkrdevil]

Then there is always that great ratings maker that a Toronto vs London series would bring.

They'd be great in Canada and the United Kingdom, and if there are basketball fans in the United States I imagine people would be watching there -- Canada went through ten consecutive seasons of all-American Stanley Cup finals and it still drew great ratings up here -- remember, there are people and television sets that exist outside of the United States.

I certainly know that I was writing from more of a US TV point of view where the league gets a large bulk of there revenue go up. A few of big non-US team series may hurt what they get with TV revenue and I don't know if league European tv revenue would be able to offset what would be lost (how much can you get when most of the out of market games, which would be in a package, when most of the games are in the middle of the night) . It wouldn't be like the Cup Final up in Canada in the US the NBA ratings are closer to the NHL's US ratings than it is to Baseball. Even then using that comparison all of the Cup Final games involving 2 US teams still take place in the same timezones that are in Canada.

[DarkJourney]

Very interesting. I, for one, am intrigued by the idea. I'd welcome an NBA European Division comprised of franchises in Berlin, London, Madrid, Rome and a fifth city to be determined. Very forward thinking on Stern's part.

You can probably throw in Paris as the fifth city

[BB61]

Logistically difficult, yes.

Intriguing, very.

I think on top of all of this is the whole 35 team thing. That's a lot of spreading out.

[Alphabet Man]

Put Europe Division in the Eastern Conference with London, Madrid, Berlin, Rome and Paris and then create an Asian/Pacific Division to put in the Western Conference with teams say Tokyo, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Beijing and somewhere else to even it up.

[dfwabel]

Put Europe Division in the Eastern Conference with London, Madrid, Berlin, Rome and Paris and then create an Asian/Pacific Division to put in the Western Conference with teams say Tokyo, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Beijing and somewhere else to even it up.

London has the O2, but there are not that many, "North American" style arenas in Europe with suites and club seats. Istanbul also has something more like what the NBA is used to. Throwing out European capitals does not meet the requirements of the NBA. Revenue is still going to be a factor. Paris' largest arena is in the suburb of Bercy and was built in 1984, so it would be like ARCO or Reunion Arena. Berlin does not have such a facility. Madrid's largest indoor facility only seats 15,000 and is basically a bullring! Barcelona has the capacity, but lacks suites.

Monterrey, Mexico was considered as the preferred city in Mexico just for that reason.

[DarkJourney]

Put Europe Division in the Eastern Conference with London, Madrid, Berlin, Rome and Paris and then create an Asian/Pacific Division to put in the Western Conference with teams say Tokyo, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Beijing and somewhere else to even it up.

London has the O2, but there are not that many, "North American" style arenas in Europe with suites and club seats. Istanbul also has something more like what the NBA is used to. Throwing out European capitals does not meet the requirements of the NBA. Revenue is still going to be a factor. Paris' largest arena is in the suburb of Bercy and was built in 1984, so it would be like ARCO or Reunion Arena. Berlin does not have such a facility. Madrid's largest indoor facility only seats 15,000 and is basically a bullring! Barcelona has the capacity, but lacks suites.

Monterrey, Mexico was considered as the preferred city in Mexico just for that reason.

I believe there is version of the O2 arena being built in Berlin as we speak

http://www.o2-world.com/index.php?id=91

[Alphabet Man]

Put Europe Division in the Eastern Conference with London, Madrid, Berlin, Rome and Paris and then create an Asian/Pacific Division to put in the Western Conference with teams say Tokyo, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Beijing and somewhere else to even it up.

London has the O2, but there are not that many, "North American" style arenas in Europe with suites and club seats. Istanbul also has something more like what the NBA is used to. Throwing out European capitals does not meet the requirements of the NBA. Revenue is still going to be a factor. Paris' largest arena is in the suburb of Bercy and was built in 1984, so it would be like ARCO or Reunion Arena. Berlin does not have such a facility. Madrid's largest indoor facility only seats 15,000 and is basically a bullring! Barcelona has the capacity, but lacks suites.

Monterrey, Mexico was considered as the preferred city in Mexico just for that reason.

The article mentions venus being built in Berlin and Madrid. It also mentions something about Rome. Paris is the only other obvious city. Maybe Amsterdam, what do they have up there?

[cappital92]

Put Europe Division in the Eastern Conference with London, Madrid, Berlin, Rome and Paris and then create an Asian/Pacific Division to put in the Western Conference with teams say Tokyo, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Beijing and somewhere else to even it up.

London has the O2, but there are not that many, "North American" style arenas in Europe with suites and club seats. Istanbul also has something more like what the NBA is used to. Throwing out European capitals does not meet the requirements of the NBA. Revenue is still going to be a factor. Paris' largest arena is in the suburb of Bercy and was built in 1984, so it would be like ARCO or Reunion Arena. Berlin does not have such a facility. Madrid's largest indoor facility only seats 15,000 and is basically a bullring! Barcelona has the capacity, but lacks suites.

Monterrey, Mexico was considered as the preferred city in Mexico just for that reason.

The article mentions venus being built in Berlin and Madrid. It also mentions something about Rome. Paris is the only other obvious city. Maybe Amsterdam, what do they have up there?

Some mighty fine stuff.

Pot's now illegal there, BTW.

[DarkJourney]

Some cool NBA Europe concepts by CCSLC member AAO from a few years ago:

Sicily Sharks

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b54/Insi...icilySharks.gif

Paris Reign

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b54/Insi...-ParisReign.gif

Munich Warhawks

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b54/Insi...ichWarhawks.gif

Madrid Matadors

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b54/Insi...ridMatadors.gif

London Glory

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b54/Insi...LondonGlory.gif

[cyandlux]

These stereotypically ignorant American questions make me embarrassed:

1.Would European audiences buy expensive season tickets to 41 home games per year?

How many home games are there in the Premier League or the Bundesliga? I don't think theyre cheap. My sister lives in Stuttgart and theyre sold out for the season.

2.Would they adapt to the American dynamic of sport as entertainment, equivalent to attending a concert or the cinema?

You stupid? See #1

3.Would American players be willing to play overseas?

Are they getting paid? Plus living abroad rocks! Duh.

[-Helix-]

Put Europe Division in the Eastern Conference with London, Madrid, Berlin, Rome and Paris and then create an Asian/Pacific Division to put in the Western Conference with teams say Tokyo, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Beijing and somewhere else to even it up.

London has the O2, but there are not that many, "North American" style arenas in Europe with suites and club seats. Istanbul also has something more like what the NBA is used to. Throwing out European capitals does not meet the requirements of the NBA. Revenue is still going to be a factor. Paris' largest arena is in the suburb of Bercy and was built in 1984, so it would be like ARCO or Reunion Arena. Berlin does not have such a facility. Madrid's largest indoor facility only seats 15,000 and is basically a bullring! Barcelona has the capacity, but lacks suites.

Monterrey, Mexico was considered as the preferred city in Mexico just for that reason.

The article mentions venus being built in Berlin and Madrid. It also mentions something about Rome. Paris is the only other obvious city. Maybe Amsterdam, what do they have up there?

I believe a new arena is being built in Amsterdam currently as well. Not sure if the capacity will be large enough though.

Cologne also has a large 18,000 seater. Bern, Switzerland is renovating their arena this summer and will seat over 17,000. Moscow's new arena seats about 15,000 I believe. Sazka Arena in Prague seats about 18,000. A 15,000 seater is being built in Copenhagen and will be open in 2010. Manchester has a 17,000 seater. Budapest, Hungary has a 16,000 seater.

And I'm sure Athens has a worthy arena leftover from the Olympics.

Plenty of choices for a 5th city.

[Mac the Knife]

These stereotypically ignorant American questions make me embarrassed:

1.Would European audiences buy expensive season tickets to 41 home games per year?

How many home games are there in the Premier League or the Bundesliga? I don't think theyre cheap. My sister lives in Stuttgart and theyre sold out for the season.

2.Would they adapt to the American dynamic of sport as entertainment, equivalent to attending a concert or the cinema?

You stupid? See #1

3.Would American players be willing to play overseas?

Are they getting paid? Plus living abroad rocks! Duh.

I think the point is that they might not shell out for both the NBA and Bundesliga/Premier League. And there are American players who wouldn't play overseas, regardless of the money. Baseball has that now with Canada - some players can and do have clauses in their contracts that stipulate they will not join a Canadian club (e.g., Toronto).