Commissioner David Stern considers NBA regular-season games in Europe
ROME - The NBA is staging another successful pre-season tour in Europe. Regular-season games on the continent are the next step.
"I think that time is coming closer," NBA commissioner David Stern said Sunday at halftime of the Toronto Raptors win over Virtus Lottomatica Roma. "That has historically been a matter of euros. It costs many euros to buy a game from a regular season because our teams do so well.
"But with the new O2 Arena in London, with the new arena in Berlin, with the proposed arena in Rome, Europe is beginning to develop buildings that look much like the ones that we have in the United States, and those buildings will yield more revenue for such a game."
Real Madrid also has plans for a modern facility in the Spanish capital.
The NHL recently played its first regular-season games in Europe at the O2 and the NFL will play a regular-season game at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium when the Miami Dolphins face the New York Giants on Oct. 28.
The NBA has played regular-season games in Japan and Mexico, along with a recent exhibition game in China with a mix of league stars. It was the first league to export its brand and league officials have flirted for years with the idea of European expansion, although Stern said that's still a way off.
"Not in the short term, but those very same buildings I referred to, to the extent that they become NBA-ready buildings, I suspect there will be more conversation, gossip and speculation about that prospect," Stern said Sunday.
On Wednesday, the Boston Celtics and star player Kevin Garnett will face the Minnesota Timberwolves at the O2 in London. The Memphis Grizzlies are also playing in Spain.
However, the NBA still needs to increase its fan base in Europe before establishing a franchise, Stern said. Most basketball fans in Europe are kids, Stern said, adding that "those younger fans will age into a category when they have disposable income."
"I think that we still have to develop - and that's why we're here," the commissioner said.
The Raptors-Roma game was not sold out. The attendance was 9,823, smaller than the capacity crowd of 11,118 that attended the Raptors-Celtics game a night earlier at the Palalottomatica.
"We had a full house in Istanbul (Saturday) with Efes Pilsen against Minnesota," Stern said. "The real lesson may be that you need a night off between games. It's not about the place. I think it's really just a question of Saturday night vs. Sunday night games back-to-back. And also a gentlemen by the name of Kevin Garnett."
When Garnett was introduced before Saturday's game, the crowd cheered for him even louder than the Raptors' Andrea Bargnani, who was born in Rome.
"We need to develop a revenue model that works, both as to ticket pricing and television rights fees," Stern said, getting back to European expansion. "But in the meantime, nothing we do is meant to be against that eventuality, it just all helps the game grow."
Stern said he also enjoys the development of the international game.
"I just remember when people laughed in 1992 when I said that the gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world would close," he said. "You only need to look at the Toronto Raptors roster to see the internationalization of the game at every level."
Besides Bargnani, the Raptors feature Spanish players Jose Calderon and Jorge Garbajosa, Carlos Delfino of Argentina and Rasho Nesterovic of Slovenia, plus American veterans who cut their teeth playing in European leagues, such as Anthony Parker and Maceo Baston.
Also, Bargnani became the first European selected with the top pick in last year's draft, Dirk Nowitzki of Germany was the league MVP and Tony Parker of France was the finals MVP.
"That highlights the contributions being made to our game by international basketball," Stern said.
Copyright © 2007 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved
It’s glad to be growing up
Sometimes I trend to forget that (for NBA's Comi$i$oner) Biz is ahead of sports.
About these paragraph , I think is about cultural issues, I am not sure that Saturday’s game will be sold out in Latin countries, because this is the party day, probably that is very different from country to country, but usually (IMHO) only less important games are scheduled on Saturday night.
How about making the games video widely available? Call me crazy but wouldn't that help build a fan base!?
I call BSStern said. Most basketball fans in Europe are kids, Stern said, adding that "those younger fans will age into a category when they have disposable income."
The Raptors-Roma game was not sold out. The attendance was 9,823, smaller than the capacity crowd of 11,118 that attended the Raptors-Celtics game a night earlier at the Palalottomatica.
What if the real reason was that everybbody knew it was going to be a lousy game (Roma is not a very good team)? OMG imagine a concept where more people would pay to watch a GOOD game!!! Quick somebody forward this info to David. I think I'm a shoe in for this year's Nobel prize!
Games in Europe aren't really interesting but they are too really expensive.
In France last year, the cheapest ticket for Spurs/Maccabi was at 100€ (about $140).
Overall, the nba is doing a poor job in Europe.
I wouldn't call you crazy, sometimes situations needs a different approach; I remenber the Mac Donalds' Cup, a tournament where NBA's teams and FIBA's team used to play; this environment of compe ion is more attractive than pres season games.
YOung people demands youg mentality to approach them.
that's is big money in Intl environment
What about the more practical issue for scheduling games? It would be kinda difficult for a team to pull off a back to back consisting of, say, Seattle and Rome. I think the way you go is to incorporate the established European teams into some kind of superleague, kinda like the UEFA Champions League.
I don't understand why it's stupid. It certainly clears up some misconceptions that have been perpetuated on this board.
Either you incorporate games between NBA and Euro teams during the regular season with perhaps a final tournament in the summer or you maybe take the top 4 NBA teams and have them play the top 4 Euroleague teams in a summer tournament (something with NBA regular season rosters). Of course, this would have to be hashed out with the players' union.
I pay about $1,500 for my season tick for Panathinaikos and this only for I think 20 games. Team have sell like 4,000 of these season ticket in just one day! Stern know this of course.
So is Billy's mommy for the NBA going to Europe?
NBA is coming to Europe. It's an eventuality that will happen. Saying that the NBA isn't going to expand is simply living with your head buried in the sand. If the NBA can make money by going overseas with their product you'd better believe they are going to do it. The goal is eventually to become as popular as World Cup Soccor.
Well, I'll tell you a story
Of whiskey and mystics and men,
And about the believers and
How the whole thing began.
First there were women and
Children obeying the moon,
Then daylight brought wisdom
And fever and sickness too soon.
You can try to remind me
Instead of the other, you can.
You can help to insure
That we all insecure our command.
If you don't give a listen,
I won't try to tell your new hand.
This is it; can't you see
That we all have our ends in the band.
And if all of the teachers and
Preachers of wealth were arraigned,
We could see quite a future
For me in the literal sands.
And if all the people
Could claime to inspect such regrets,
Well, we'd have no forgiveness,
Forgetfullness, faithful remorse.
So I tell you, I tell you,
I tell you we must send away.
We must try to find a
New answer instead of a way.
I think the Superleague idea is the more practical interim suggestion.
But I think the scheduling issue is largely a red herring. As it stands, the league cannot schedule back-to-backs that have teams covering more than one time zone between games. So even current scheduling rules wouldn't allow a Seattle-San Antonio back-to-back, much less a Seattle-Miami or a Seattle-Rome back-to-back. Those scheduling rules also wouldn't permit a Boston-London back-to-back or a London-Istanbul back-to-back, either.
Fine. It just isn't the done deal some had earlier said it was.
I use same thing you did. You ask for proof where Stern say PAO join NBA so I ask for PROOF where Stern say they not to join NBA.
I not see him say that so PROOF to me with link please, or do you not able to do same thing you ask to do?
Scheduling won't be a big problem for the regular season.
If you add 5 or 6 Euro teams, American nba teams just have to go one time in Europe for a 5 or 6 games road trip.
Euro teams could do something like 3 10 games road trip in America.
The real scheduling problem is for playoffs. Doing a playoffs serie between an European team and an American team won't be easy at all. The current playoff format must likely be changed if NBA expand to Europe.
You're basically asking me to prove a negative. Which is stupid in any country.
If the NBA has not decided to do anything, why would they announce it?
When they decide to do something, they announce it, as I have shown you several times. This is how it works in Ameriga.
October 9, 2007
Spurs Sign No One
SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they signed no player. Per team policy, terms of the non-deal were not disclosed.
"We just wanted to let our fans know what we weren't doing," stated Spurs General Manager R.C. Buford. "Rest assured, once we make a decision, you won't hear about it anywhere."
http://www.nba.com/spurs/nonews/noplayer_071009.html
October 9, 2007
Spurs Sign No One
SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they signed no player. Per team policy, terms of the non-deal were not disclosed.
"We just wanted to let our fans know what we weren't doing," stated Spurs General Manager R.C. Buford. "Rest assured, once we make a decision, you won't hear about it anywhere."
This is actually more information than we usually get from CIA Pop.
So what is the DECISION that was announced, EXACTLY?
You're basically asking me to prove a negative. Which is stupid in any country.
If the NBA has not decided to do anything, why would they announce it?
When they decide to do something, they announce it, as I have shown you several times. This is how it works in Ameriga.
I only read about "...conversation, gossip and speculation about that prospect (expanding to Europe).
Gossip and speculation.
That looks like a familiar statement to my italian ears.
This is how it actually works in Europpa.
When in Rome do as the Romans do..
Make no mistake.
People here like their stuff.
Olimpia.
Virtus
Panatinaikos.
Real
Barça
Cibona
Zrvna Zvezda
Split.
They have been around more than any NBA team.
Few would give a figues about any expansion.
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