NBA to reportedly charge over $500 million in franchise fees for NBA Europe teams

National Basketball Association (NBA) commissioner Adam Silver is known for his openness to change and his willingness to explore new ideas to make the league more appealing to a broader audience.

In March of this year, Silver and FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis announced that the two organizations were in talks over a joint exploration of a new professional men’s basketball league in Europe.

A recent report stated that the NBA is eyeing franchise fees of more than $500 million from teams or franchises looking to join the potential NBA Europe.

“The NBA is pursuing franchise fees of more than $500 million from teams looking to join the prospective NBA Europe, with multiple sources maintaining the league’s preferred number is somewhere between half a billion and $1 billion,” a statement read.

Franchise valuations are also said to be part of ongoing discussions with banks and private equity firms, as part of an effort to settle on a dollar figure. An official from one EuroLeague franchise reportedly scoffed at the proposed $500 million figure. Considering the template for NBA Europe includes existing EuroLeague clubs, it remains unclear whether teams will be priced out of joining.

🚨 NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has negotiated with Real Madrid and other club executives in Paris to create an NBA European league.

— @marca pic.twitter.com/hImIl0a2o1

— Madrid Universal (@MadridUniversal) August 1, 2025

While Silver has maintained that the launch of NBA Europe is still a few years away, it is understood that the league has given the project significant priority, especially after it emerged that LeBron James’ business partner Maverick Carter has been linked with another international league venture.

Recently, it also emerged that Nikola Jokić’s agent, Misko Ražnatović, posted a picture on Instagram of Jokić, James, and Carter on a boat — with speculation that they may have been discussing the potential league. However, LeBron has consistently stated that he is not part of Carter’s team pursuing a new international basketball league.

The arrival of French teenage prodigy Victor Wembanyama into the NBA — following his draft selection by the San Antonio Spurs — has led to a surge in the league’s popularity across Europe, particularly in France. Alongside Wembanyama, the NBA now features several of the best European players, including Luka Dončić, Nikola Jokić, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, among others.

As global demand for the NBA continues to grow, particularly in emerging markets like Asia, it will be interesting to see whether the league eventually expands into Europe.

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