The expansion of the NBA is a subject that often comes up on the table without it leading to anything concrete. But that could soon change. League commissioner Adam Silver recently gave a timeline and names of cities that could host a franchise in the near future.
2025. This is the year to keep in mind when talking about an NBA expansion project. Why 2025? Because that’s when the Great League will sign a new TV contract (the current deal ends after the 2024-25 season), which will lay new financial foundations for the turfu NBA, with the opportunities that go with.
“Expansion will be considered once new TV contracts are finalized. There is nothing certain, but as I said before, it is natural for organizations to grow over time” declared this week Adam Silver, via The Athletic.
Inevitably, as soon as we talk about expansion, we wonder which markets will one day welcome a new franchise within the League. During his press conference in Las Vegas where the Summer League is currently taking place, the NBA boss was also rather specific in his answers.
“We are going to look at this market (Las Vegas). Without a doubt, there is great interest in Seattle. It’s not a secret. Other markets have also shown interest.”
Las Vegas and Seattle therefore. These two cities have been considered favorites to host a franchise for a while.
Vegas is taking up more and more space in the NBA universe, between the Summer League each summer, the G-League Showcase and of course the Final Four of the new In-Season Tournament, which will take place in Sin City. The arrival of several franchises in Vegas within other American leagues, namely the Raiders in NFL (US Football), the Golden Knights in NHL (hockey) and the Aces in WNBA (women’s basketball), may also push the NBA to do the same. Indeed, Adam Silver is undoubtedly reassured today in relation to the fears that historically surrounded the presence of professional franchises in Vegas, a city of entertainment but also the capital of gambling and sports betting. So many reasons that give an advantage to Las Vegas, and in addition LeBron James is already on the spot.
@NBA Commish Adam Silver on @NBASummerLeague impact on LV: “we were saying we were accounting for 27,000 room nights now in Las Vegas in the month of July. So I feel like we have a franchise in Las Vegas right now.” He, Warren LeGarie say summer league is NBA’s 31st team. pic.twitter.com/owoNTbyffZ
— LVSportsBiz.com (@LVSportsBiz) July 11, 2018
As for the city of Seattle, it’s obviously a basketball ground that should never have lost its Sonics in 2008. Emerald City breathes the orange ball, it’s a big market in the Northwestern United States, and there is a real tradition for the NBA in Seattle. The Sonics were based there for 40 years, it’s not nothing. Proof of the League’s interest, pre-season matches continue to be organized in the former town of Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp: on October 10, a meeting between the Jazz and the Clippers will be played at the Climate Pledge Arena. It will be the third after the Clippers-Blazers of October 2022, and the Warriors-Kings of 2018.
Kevin Durant wearing a Shawn Kemp #Sonics jersey for introductions at Key Arena as Kings-Warriors gives Seattle fans their first NBA action of any kind since their team left for OKC a decade ago.
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— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) October 6, 2018
In case of expansion in Vegas and Seattle, we would go up to 32 franchises in total, as much as the NFL and the NHL. It’s been since 2004 and the Charlotte Bobcats that the NBA has added a new team to its league.
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Source texte : The Athletic
2023-07-13 17:23:00
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