Spurs Fans: Get Ready for Even Worse Back-to-Backs

[Darius Bieber]

According to Stern, the NBA will have European teams in the next 20 years.


I can see it now:
Back-to-Back for the Spurs:

December 23rd, 2033 against London
December 24th, 2033 against Lakers

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1467736-david-sterns-claims-nba-will-have-teams-in-europe-within-20-years?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=nba

[Bruno]

Stern plan was to put 5 franchise in Europe in London, Berlin, Paris, Milan and Barcelona. This plan has been hurt the economical crisis, especially in Spain and Italy. I don't know what is NBA Spurs plan: waiting Italy and Spain to recover for the crisis or having a 3 franchise expansion in London, Paris and Berlin.

[DPG21920]

What a terrible idea to expand into Europe. Not only is the league immensely watered down already, the logistics of this make very little sense.

[Chinook]

What a terrible idea to expand into Europe. Not only is the league immensely watered down already, the logistics of this make very little sense.

Yeah. Six teams would have to be added for the numbers to work. Even then, I imagine that there'd have to be an uneven amount of road games for this to make sense. I can see each team in the league making a Eurotrip if you will and playing all of them on a tour, but I don't think players would be happy about doing it multiple times a season.

On the good side, it would grown the game in Europe, which can helped get even better training infrastructure set up, which would increase the talent pool eventually.

[TimmehC]

Better to move existing teams in shitty markets and realign accordingly. Indiana, Sacramento, Orlando, etc.

[edgar]

Imagine the effects that a trade to one of these teams or vice versa would have on the families of these players. New continent, new language and cultures.

[Darius Bieber]

Imagine the effects that a trade to one of these teams or vice versa would have on the families of these players. New continent, new language and cultures.

True, but many NBA players go overseas now anyways. China, Europe, etc.. It also happens all the time with Professional Soccer as well, so not the biggest of concerns.

[Seventyniner]

True, but many NBA players go overseas now anyways. China, Europe, etc.. It also happens all the time with Professional Soccer as well, so not the biggest of concerns.

But being traded from, say, Barcelona to Milan is quite a bit different than being traded from Portland to Berlin.

[ffadicted]

I would laugh at anyone making millions of dollars to put a ball in a hoop complaining about having to move to any of those big cities.
Like someone else said, it happens in soccer, and it should be expected.
IMO scheduling won't be too much of a problem because it's about time we start slashing number of games in the season anyway. They'd probably move all playoff series to 2-3-2 format as well.

[CGD]

I wonder if they would buy a few existing euro teams in order to leverage their infrastructure or start from scratch.

[KaiRMD1]

In 20 years, Stern will probably be dead

[Russo21]

Terrible idea. Stern, you are a fuckwit. My plan is for you to be dead in the next 20 years. Let's hope that happens first.

[Das Texan]

The NBA should just start a fucking Euro league if they really want to do this.


Putting actual NBA franchises in Europe is so fucking stupid. Even soccer doesnt have cross Atlantic league games.


Can Stern go away already?

[cd021]

20 years people...Not sure Duncan Parker and Ginobili would care and Pop would be around to protest it.

[Libri]

Believing Stern, who is retiring in 2 years. :lol

[pad300]

I would laugh at anyone making millions of dollars to put a ball in a hoop complaining about having to move to any of those big cities.
Like someone else said, it happens in soccer, and it should be expected.
IMO scheduling won't be too much of a problem because it's about time we start slashing number of games in the season anyway. They'd probably move all playoff series to 2-3-2 format as well.

No, that doesn't happen in "soccer". Trades can't happen without a player's permission in international football, both due to their being no overall monolithic league structure and european labour laws.

[ALVAREZ6]

They should add 5 franchises to each continent, including Antarctica. And 1 on the moon. I think this would be brilliant for expanding the NBA market.

[ALVAREZ6]

No, that doesn't happen in "soccer". Trades can't happen without a player's permission in international football, both due to their being no overall monolithic league structure and european labour laws.
And regardless, there's no soccer leagues with teams across oceans. It's such a stupid fucking idea and totally unsurprising from David Stern. That man is stubborn and stupid.

[Kidd K]

In 20 years, Stern will probably be dead

http://www.users.on.net/~jpettigrove/funnyimages/gifs/evilsmile_cena.gif

[velik_m]

The NBA should just start a fucking Euro league if they really want to do this.


Putting actual NBA franchises in Europe is so fucking stupid. Even soccer doesnt have cross Atlantic league games.


Can Stern go away already?

Yes, some sort of NBA development euro league makes more sense, also concentrating on cities/countries without strong clubs/leagues (west/north european countries, that are richer anyway) makes more sense than trying to integrate existing clubs into a new league...

[chapnis]

They should add 5 franchises to each continent, including Antarctica. And 1 on the moon. I think this would be brilliant for expanding the NBA market.

Expect an angry worded letter from the Martians, they will be most upset about being omitted.