David Stern wants to create a European Division in the NBA

[WMR]

He wants to create a five team European division in five different countries with one team residing in each country. They would play a total 82 game schedule and compete for the NBA championship...

The travel considerations could be worked out with proper planning.

I personally think this is an incredible idea and would revitalize professional basketball and make it a much more interesting product.

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by WilyMoROCKS

He wants to create a five team European division in five different countries with one team residing in each country. They would play a total 82 game schedule and compete for the NBA championship...

The travel considerations could be worked out with proper planning.

Says him. He's not the one that's going to be skipping across several time zones in the middle of an 82 game schedule.

[BuckeyeRed27]

I think its an interesting idea, but I don't think it will work.
One you are going to dilute the current NBA schedule. This is 5 less games you would be playing against your own conference. And the travel would be brutal. Some teams have a hard enough time playing back to back nights in LA and Sacramento let alone Madraid and Athens.

[WMR]

Stern wants to go global. That's his goal. I think all the concerns you raise are valid, but would be viewed as secondary concerns by Stern.

[Unassisted]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeRed27

I think its an interesting idea, but I don't think it will work.
One you are going to dilute the current NBA schedule. This is 5 less games you would be playing against your own conference. And the travel would be brutal. Some teams have a hard enough time playing back to back nights in LA and Sacramento let alone Madraid and Athens.

If you think it'd be tough on the US teams, imagine how brutal it would be on the Euro teams. The only humane way to do this for them would be to send each of them on a 3-month road trip in the US.

I also wonder how a French player would feel about getting traded to the team in Germany or vice-versa. There's a lot of nationalistic pride among the players from those European countries.

[RedsManRick]

Originally Posted by Unassisted

If you think it'd be tough on the US teams, imagine how brutal it would be on the Euro teams. The only humane way to do this for them would be to send each of them on a 3-month road trip in the US.

I also wonder how a French player would feel about getting traded to the team in Germany or vice-versa. There's a lot of nationalistic pride among the players from those European countries.

"You've been traded to Berlin" has a slightly different effect than "You've been traded to Charlotte".

[MaineRed]

Originally Posted by WilyMoROCKS

He wants to create a five team European division in five different countries with one team residing in each country. They would play a total 82 game schedule and compete for the NBA championship...

The travel considerations could be worked out with proper planning.

I personally think this is an incredible idea and would revitalize professional basketball and make it a much more interesting product.

What about diluting an already diluted league and having games that are played at noon on Thursday is going to make the league more interesing?

Players Association will never go for this IMO. I don't think a Shaq is going to be too happy when he gets traded to Berlin.

[Bip Roberts]

Why does anyone think a global league has any chance of working?

[KronoRed]

Good idea on paper, will never ever happen, nor should it.

[guttle11]

Terrible Idea.

Creating an NBA affiliated/feeder (not a minors system) league, most likely by merging with a respected league in Europe? Much better idea. Hold a separate draft for the college kids that don't get drafted and give them a chance to develop for a year or two before allowing them to be free agents, or something along that line.

You could create a juniors system like many worldwide leagues have and develop foreign talent that way, as well.

[KronoRed]

Hot bout something like the AL/NL used to be, they only played exhibitions and a final series.

[cincinnati chili]

Originally Posted by RedsManRick

"You've been traded to Berlin" has a slightly different effect than "You've been traded to Charlotte".

"You've been traded to Amsterdam" has a pretty nice ring to it, especially if you're single and are guaranteed a 7-figure minimum salary.

The NBA would have to rethink that recreational drug policy.

It's going to happen. It's just a matter of when. It's been Stern's goal for a long time.

[Revering4Blue]

Originally Posted by guttle11

Terrible Idea.

Creating an NBA affiliated/feeder (not a minors system) league, most likely by merging with a respected league in Europe? Much better idea. Hold a separate draft for the college kids that don't get drafted and give them a chance to develop for a year or two before allowing them to be free agents, or something along that line.

You could create a juniors system like many worldwide leagues have and develop foreign talent that way, as well.

My thoughts exactly. Here's an idea, Commish: Forget expansion.Take care of your existing franchises first, especially Memphis, New Orleans--The Hornets shouldn't have been permitted to move there in the first place-- and Seattle.

[Hollcat]

Here's a suggestion for Stern. Take all 30 or so NBA teams and move them to Europe and make room for more baseball on TV.

[Caveat Emperor]

Originally Posted by Bip Roberts

Why does anyone think a global league has any chance of working?

Because there's so much money to be made out there that eventually someone will come up with a way around the logistical problems.

Though, I imagine the finished product will look more like UEFA Champions League format (leagues in many different countries sending their top teams to play in a tournament) than any global, multi-league NBA.