EuroLeague is interested in acquiring the ABA League, and the possibility of changing the regional competition’s ownership structure has already been discussed with its current owners.
According to Sport Klub, EuroLeague representatives informed the ABA League’s club owners at a meeting on Friday of their intention to acquire a stake in the regional competition, with the possibility of eventually securing majority ownership.
The proposal is still in its early stages, and formal negotiations over the terms of a potential acquisition have yet to begin. Neither the future ownership model nor the timeline for a possible deal has been determined.
Representatives from Dubai and Romania’s Cluj also attended the meeting at the insistence of EuroLeague management, despite neither club holding an ownership stake in the ABA League.
The Move Fits EuroLeague’s Broader Strategy in Europe
EuroLeague is also looking to strengthen its position ahead of the NBA’s planned arrival in Europe. After rejecting the American league’s proposal for cooperation, EuroLeague is pursuing plans to expand the number of participating teams, introduce a franchise system, and establish longer-term relationships with clubs competing in EuroLeague and EuroCup.
The ABA League has an established organizational structure, clubs with large fan bases, and an existing relationship with EuroLeague, all of which could make a potential ownership agreement easier to reach.
Signs of closer cooperation between the two organizations emerged over the summer, when officials with extensive EuroLeague experience were appointed to key positions within the ABA League. Ibrahim Erkan took over as sporting director, while Miguel Ángel Pérez became chairman of the Refereeing Commission. According to Sport Klub, both are serving as intermediaries in the ongoing discussions.
EuroLeague Could Also Help Resolve the Refereeing Dispute
The meeting also addressed issues involving referees, which have caused serious disagreements between ABA League management and officials in recent months. According to the same report, EuroLeague is prepared to help resolve the dispute and ensure suitable conditions for the competition to continue.
The ABA League’s ownership structure currently consists of 11 clubs: Partizan, Crvena Zvezda, Budućnost, Cedevita Olimpija, Cibona, Zadar, Igokea, Mega, FMP, Mornar, and Krka. Any potential change in ownership would require an agreement with the clubs that currently control the regional competition.