European football teams and the NBA are negotiating to support a new basketball league

The National Basketball Association is negotiating with some of the best football clubs in Europe to support teams in a new basketball league on the continent. This might be a major international expansion attempt by a sports league in the United States.

“At this week’s NBA Board of Governors meeting, the league will report on its exploration of a new men’s basketball league in Europe, in partnership with FIBA,” according to a representative for the NBA.

The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) is the organization that oversees basketball worldwide.

As previously reported by Bloomberg News, the NBA has undertaken preliminary discussions with the owners of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Manchester City, and possibly supporters of a London-based franchise about possible investment and sites for the new league.

A representative for PSG’s owner, Qatar Sports Investments, stated that the company has been “approached with regards to a basketball franchise in Paris in relation to which we have expressed an interest.”

Approximately eight teams might be built in Europe, according to plans that NBA owners are reviewing this week, according to Bloomberg. A $500 million startup fee may be used to sell each of the additional franchises.

When Reuters asked Manchester City for comment on the report, the club did not immediately reply.

With Swiss bank UBS serving as an adviser and Saudi Arabia’s national wealth fund as a strategic partner, a group of investors sought to establish a basketball league that would cover Asia and Europe and eventually compete with the NBA, according to a February Financial Times article.