The NBA and European football: two worlds compared
While the NBA prepares to inaugurate its 79th season, consolidating its status as the world’s leading basketball league, the world of European football finds itself in the midst of an identity and management crisis. The divergence between the U.S. and European sports models has never been more evident than these days, when the NBA continues to grow and innovate, while soccer is mired in legal disputes and internal disagreements.
The NBA continues to innovate
The NBAthanks to a system that promotes competitive balance and innovation, introduced the mid-season tournament, the In-Season Tournament, without increasing the already high number of regular season games. The league also refined the rules relating to salary cap and to luxury taxensuring that franchises that exceed certain limits cannot simply get away with paying a fine, but face significant restrictions in the market. This approach has led to a more balanced league, with six different teams winning the title in the last six years, something that hasn’t happened for almost half a century. Coaches, like Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat, praise this competitive balance, which makes each season an unpredictable adventure.
Economic and digital expansion
On an economic level, the NBA recently signed a new TV rights deal, worth $76 billion over 11 years, which takes effect in 2025-26. This deal almost triples the value of domestic rights and involves audiovisual giants such as Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon, equipped with streaming platforms that amplify the global reach of the matches. The NBA, under the leadership of commissioner Adam Silver, has been able to ride the wave of digitalization, maximizing the availability and accessibility of games for fans around the world.
Il data business plays a key role in this expansion. With platforms like Amazon, the NBA can collect detailed viewer information, data that can be sold to third parties or used for targeted advertising campaigns. This digitally oriented approach has fueled global interest in the league, also thanks to the increasingly strong presence of international players, with a record 125 athletes from abroad in the 2023-24 season.
The global expansion of the NBA
At the same time, the NBA continues to expand internationally. After the pre-season games in Abu Dhabi, two regular season games will be played in Paris, a clear sign of the league’s interest in Europe. The NBA is in discussions with the FIBA to increase its presence in the Old Continent, also considering the possibility of creating an annual tournament or a league managed by the NBA itself. Half of the foreign players come from Europe, including stars such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama, further strengthening ties between the league and the European continent.
Evaluations of franchises and future prospects
Meanwhile, the valuations of NBA franchises continue to rise, with sales transactions reaching astronomical figures. The Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Charlotte Hornets have been sold for billions of dollars, and the Boston Celtics could soon set a new record with a valuation that could hit $6 billion. This phase of explosive growth could lead to expansion of the number of teams, with Las Vegas and Seattle as leading candidates.
The challenges of European football
In the European context, however, the soccer finds itself having to face multiple challenges. Internal divisions between clubs and organizations such as UEFA and FIFA have led to controversial projects such as the Super League, which quickly foundered, and to reforms that have failed to bring all parties involved to agreement. The recent decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union against FIFA and UEFA for abuse of dominant position highlights the complexity and tensions currently characterizing European football.
In a context of saturation of the football market, where new competitions struggle to find sponsors and media coverage, the NBA model stands out for its coherence and ability to adapt. As football struggles to find a balance between tradition and innovation, the NBA continues to look forward, expanding its horizons and reaffirming itself as a global leader in sports entertainment.
