NBA Europe to create $2.2 billion economy in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

A planned European basketball league by the NBA and FIBA will generate a $2.2 billion economy in Istanbul between 2027 and 2036, a report by The Sports Consultancy showed.

The semi-open NBA Europe project will launch in October 2027 with 16 teams. The league will feature 12 permanent license holders located in Rome, Milan, London, Manchester, Paris, Lyon, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Munich, Athens and Istanbul. Performances in FIBA organizations and the Basketball Champions League will determine the remaining four spots.

The $2.2 billion economic activity in Istanbul encompasses direct revenues from tickets, licensed products and broadcasting rights. This also includes indirect impacts such as tourism mobility, supply chain contributions and newly created employment. The organization is expected to contribute $819 million to Türkiye’s gross domestic product in 10 years, supporting 176 full-time jobs annually while hosting 213 events for 3.6 million spectators in the city.

Basketball is Europe’s fastest-growing sport with 270 million fans, ranking second behind football. European influence in the NBA is rising, with a record 71 European players on rosters at the start of last season. European players won the Most Valuable Player award five times in the last eight years.

Despite this interest, basketball captures less than 1 percent of Europe’s estimated $45 billion sports media and sponsorship market. The NBA aims to boost this underdeveloped commercial performance by utilizing its 80 years of organizational experience and a global fan base reaching 2 billion people.

Istanbul is a world-class city with immense cultural impact and one of the largest fan bases in Europe, NBA Europe and Middle East Managing Director George Aivazoglou told state-run Anadolu Agency in June.

“If European basketball is going to undergo a transformation, we believe Türkiye must be one of the countries shaping this future,” Aivazoglou said.