They also know our popularity in South America

October 9, two NBA teams will compete at the Palais Omnisports of Paris - Bercy. The New Jersey Nets and Miami Heat will inaugurate an exhibition tour, NBA Europe Live 2008. But in a few years, it may be a French team that will participate in an official meeting of the American Basketball League. In any case, it is a possibility advanced to the "voices" by David Stern, the "commissioner" of the National Basketball Association. NBA pre-season tour will then continue in London, Berlin and Barcelona (see below) with the support of Adidas, Champion, and Coca-Cola.

Launched in 2006, these demonstration games are spearheading the international development of the American professional League. Since 1988, year of the first McDonald's Championships foreshadowing the current tours, it held 48 friendly meetings in 18 cities, funded by 23 different partner and having received 75,000 spectators and 10.3 million viewers.

On the global plan of exhibitions took place in some 15 countries, Bahamas at the Turkey, via the Russia and the Japan. "Soon, we will go to the Brazil or Argentina", Announces David Stern. For him, the NBA brand development through such events and "the combination of promotional as well in merchandising, video games, television, or on the Internet". The pattern of American basketball view, with 13 offices around the world managing more than 202 television partners, 19 global sponsors or premises, over 200 licensees manufacturers of products sold in more than 100,000 shops, "there are now more than work that teams can do." But one that is shown to the players a salary cap sees further. "We are about 15 of our activity (included between 3 and 3.6 billion $, according to estimates, Editor's note) outside the United States and this activity is progressing faster." The owners of franchises 30 each with 3.25 of the League, Editor's note have seen how our players have been received in China for the games. They also know our popularity in South America. They understood that the sport was more and more global. "As our brand", he said. It is in this perspective that the League will open an Office in India, where a first game was held in July and where an action for the promotion of basketball will affect some 65,000 schools. The challenge is to complete the globalization of the NBA.

Foreign players

In recent years, the strategy consisted in the mass recruitment of foreign players. They now account for 20 of the workforce with icons such as Manu Ginobili Argentina or Yao Ming in China. "At the recent Beijing Olympics, in the three team medal in basketball US, Spain, Argentina, Editor's note, there were 26 players playing or have played in the NBA", count David Stern. A marketing strategy effective in terms of media, even though benefits, said Sophie Goldschmidt, responsible for international development, "the teams are free to recruit the players they want"...

Makers of the iconic "sports business" Championship American are now looking to take a new step. In January 2008, NBA China allowed Disney and four Fund China investment (Bank of China, China Merchant Bank, Legend Holdings and Hutchinson Whampoa) in his capital. The participation of 11 was valued at $ 250 million, which establishes the value of all the subsidiary created in May 2007 and directed by Timothy Chen, former Director of Microsoft China and one of the best-known businessmen of the country, to 2.3 billion. An enormous amount considering that today ' hui society is designed to manage the local NBA TV rights and marketing. But "create a Championship would be sponsored by the NBA in China is a possibility," says David Stern.

Euroleague partner

Since the advent of the Washington Bullets in 1979, basketball has become popular in the Middle Kingdom. It is estimated that one-third of the NBA site visitors are from. The sport is today the most popular among young people and the NBA already has 18 partners and contracts with 51 channels, according to the paperblog.fr website. Site to which the "commissioner" declared in August: "be aware: twenty years ago, the NBA, it was 75 people." Today, the only NBA China has 100 people!

If it is rather the launch of Championships "brothers" which is envisaged in Asia, "it is in Europe where real teams of NBA outside North America would be the most feasible," says the "Echos" David Stern. "I think that there are teams of NBA in Europe to a horizon of eight to ten years." It is an idea which I am questioned for years. The proximity and transport facilities can make this possible. "But should be quality rooms, a strong determination, a market by market analysis and investors", describes. "I think that to be viable, a European franchise should generate annual revenues EUR 100 million."

Again this year, but the Euroleague is partner of the NBA Live Europe. The European Basketball Championship is poised to become semi-closed League with 14 teams hold a place guaranteed for life on the American model! "The Euroleague is not a competitor of the NBA." We are happy if they have good TV contracts and full modern stages, because this helps develop basketball and it is what is important first. Our real competitors are other sports. "We are small compared to the football industry," said David Stern. But, in ten years, this confraternity for the higher interests of the discipline be still appropriate

"The NBA and the Euroleague have a common interest in imposing the model of the League closed at the national championships on the European model of rise-relegation to sporting merit," analysis of French basketball expert. In France, the League and the clubs took the measure of these issues. Villeurbanne, Gilles Moretton and Anthony Thiodet, the leaders of the Asvel, would be even ready to apply for a League of this type. But they are facing, like their counterparts, a major obstacle: the absence of a modern room for 10,000 tickets at least. "The model 02 in London and Berlin are", says David Stern. Without such equipment, the presence of the NBA in the hexagon may well be long confined to a few exhibitions.