EuroLeague has approved a 10-year business plan targeting a combined valuation of nearly $9 billion for the competition and its clubs. Announced less than two weeks after the league rejected the NBA’s initial proposal to collaborate on a European basketball project, the plan focuses on commercial growth, expansion and improving clubs’ financial sustainability.
All 13 of EuroLeague’s shareholder clubs approved the strategy. Under the plan, the league itself aims to reach a valuation of €7.98 billion ($8.98 billion), while the collective value of its existing licensed clubs is projected to triple to €5.4 billion ($6.1 billion).
The targets reflect EuroLeague’s ambition to expand its commercial business and strengthen the financial position of its clubs over the next decade.
EuroLeague targets €3.4 billion in team distributions
EuroLeague projects that total distributions to its teams will reach €3.4 billion ($3.8 billion) over the 10-year period. Of that amount, €2.2 billion is expected to come from league revenues, with a further €1.2 billion generated through franchise fees paid by expansion teams.
According to Front Office Sports, citing a person familiar with the matter, EuroLeague currently distributes approximately €70 million in total revenue to its teams. Reaching the proposed target would require a substantial increase in the competition’s commercial income.
EuroLeague CFO Xavi Puyada said the value of the league and its clubs was growing rapidly and expected that growth to accelerate as the business plan is implemented and clubs continue to develop their own operations.
Expansion to as many as 24 teams
EuroLeague currently features 20 teams, including 13 permanent shareholder clubs and seven others that qualify through routes such as winning the EuroCup or receiving short-term licenses.
The new plan envisages expanding the competition to as many as 24 teams, with two potential expansion windows scheduled for 2027 and 2031. EuroLeague also said it had received 15 binding offers from teams seeking to join the competition.
Expansion was one of the key points of disagreement in discussions with the NBA. According to Front Office Sports, one element of the NBA’s initial proposal that particularly concerned EuroLeague owners was a requirement to pause the league’s planned expansion.
The two sides also reportedly differed significantly over valuation. Sources cited by Front Office Sports said the NBA’s proposal valued EuroLeague at well below $3 billion, while the league’s owners were seeking a valuation of at least that amount in any potential deal.
The valuation gap and disagreement over expansion underscored the challenges facing a possible partnership between the two organisations.
Financial sustainability remains a priority
Alongside growth and expansion, EuroLeague has made the financial health of its clubs a central objective.
According to the league’s announcement, only 40% of its licensed clubs are currently considered financially sustainable. EuroLeague aims for every licensed club to achieve financial sustainability by the end of the first phase of its 10-year plan.
Meeting that target will require clubs to strengthen their commercial operations and manage their costs while benefiting from the league’s projected revenue growth.
NBA and FIBA continue to pursue a European project
Despite the failed initial discussions with EuroLeague, the NBA and FIBA remain committed to developing a new professional men’s basketball league in Europe.
In a joint statement issued after EuroLeague rejected the proposal, the organisations said a partnership could unlock the sport’s potential across the continent for clubs, players and fans. They also reiterated their intention to build a stronger and more sustainable European basketball ecosystem with partners that share their vision.
EuroLeague’s expansion strategy and near-$9 billion valuation target come as the future structure of European basketball remains contested. With the league pursuing independent growth and the NBA and FIBA continuing to explore an alternative competition, the coming years could reshape the region’s commercial landscape, club economics and competitive structure.