NBA Intensifies Gaze On Europe, Gives Up On Seattle

(AP) — Plans for large new European arenas have National Basketball Association commissioner David Stern looking more intently than ever at expanding across the Atlantic Ocean by 2018.

But the boss of the 30-team league has more immediate worries such as the near-certain relocation of the Seattle Sonics because that city will not help fund a huge new arena and the possible moving of the New Orleans Hornets.

Stern spoke on those subjects Saturday on the eve of the 57th NBA All-Star Game, also saying that NBA exhibition games are planned for later this year in Europe and China, although exactly when and where has not been finalized.

Stern talked with optimism about the chances of adding five new teams in Europe within a decade, mainly because of new “NBA-ready” arenas in London and Berlin and planned similar venues in Madrid and Rome.

“We’re watching various markets on a global scale in a very serious way, more serious than we ever have before,” Stern said. “We are seeing good signs of arena development.”

Anschutz Entertainment Group, a major US arena developer, built the Berlin arena set to open in October and will manage the Beijing Olympic arena as well with hopes of constructing another in Shanghai.

“There is a pattern that’s emerging,” Stern said. “We see the building in Berlin is going to start a trend of major cities building arenas.

“The mayor of Rome is almost at the cement pouring stage for a Rome arena. Real Madrid has plans for a building they have shared with us. If Real Madrid has a plan then Barcelona is going to have a plan.

“You wind up with the emergence over a period of time the kind of footprint that’s going to allow those conversations. It would have to be critical mass for purposes of travel and the like. It’s something we will continue to watch.”

The NBA would be looking at adding new clubs rather than incorporating existing European teams, Stern said, but would not rule it out.

“We’re really thinking more about expansion teams in Europe in the decade,” Stern said. “We’re not focusing as much on the existing franchises as we are upon new franchises but we understand there would be over this period of time lots of negotiations.”

A willingness for European fans to pay NBA ticket prices is another factor Stern wants to see before putting NBA teams in Europe.

“We see increased pricing, but not in European basketball the way it would have to be yet,” Stern said.

Finding 75 new NBA-level players will not be a problem, Stern said, taking a swipe at football by saying, “More and more elite players are bouncing the ball rather than kicking it.”

Travel distances will not keep the NBA from the potential riches of European television revenues and sponsorship deals either, Stern said, citing a flight from Boston to Paris being shorter than one between Miami and Portland.

“Travel is not going to be an issue and the logistics are not going to be an issue,” Stern said.

The most immediate issue facing Stern is Seattle’s unwillingness to spend public money on a new arena to keep the NBA Sonics, who face a lawsuit that might make them serve two final years on their lease rather than leave sooner.

“It’s apparent to all that are watching that the Sonics are headed out of Seattle,” Stern said. “I accept that inevitability at this point. There is no miracle here.”

Stern said the city rejected a 30 million-dollar offer from the Sonics to pay off the lease and retire the current arena bonds in exchange for allowing the team to move after this season, almost certainly to Oklahoma City.

“I think that’s bad public policy. When the team leaves the city is going to have a debt on the building and the Sonics have offered to pay it off,” Stern said. “If the court says they are not free to pay and leave, they won’t.”

But after seeing new venues built for baseball and American football teams but not the NBA, Stern has given up on Seattle.

“Into that much wind it doesn’t make much sense to sail,” Stern said.

The New Orleans Hornets would be free to relocate after next season if they do not meet attendance goals that they now trail, but Stern has confidence the city will show support for a team that has the NBA’s third-best record.

“I’m much more optimistic about the team here meeting their goal,” he said.

Stern also addressed the lack of increased fan taunting of referees in the wake of the match-fixing scandal after last season involving referee Tim Donaghy.

“There has been virtually none of the ugliness you might have thought,” Stern said.