NBA prepares for first expansion in more than 20 years: the main contenders
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The American professional basketball league NBA has officially launched the expansion process for the first time in more than two decades. This was announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, writes Bloomberg.

According to him, the league's Board of Governors (which includes one representative from each of the 30 teams) has instructed the NBA office to conduct an in-depth study of all issues related to expansion, both economic and non-economic.

The last time the NBA expanded was in 2004, when a team from Charlotte, North Carolina, now called the Hornets, started playing.

"Nothing has been pre-determined one way or the other, and there is no specific time frame. We're going to be as thorough as possible and look at all potential issues," Silver said.

Earlier it was expected that the cost of entry fees for new teams could reach $5 billion. But that was before the Boston Celtics were sold for $6.1 billion and the Los Angeles Lakers for a record $10 billion.

The most likely candidates are Las Vegas and Seattle. In Las Vegas, several groups of investors are competing for the franchise, including RedBird Capital and Fenway Sports Group, as well as athlete LeBron James.

In Seattle, Samantha Holloway, co-owner of the Seattle Kraken hockey club, is considered the main contender. She emphasized that the city's arena is ready to host NBA matches.

  • In June 2024, it was reported that the NBA sells broadcasting rights basketball games for $76 billion. On average, about 1.6 million viewers watch each game of the association.