NBA ogas dey set to meet African goment leaders for di side of di United Nations General Assembly for New York dis week as di league dey push forward wit plan to sell up to 10 permanent Basketball Africa League franchises to private investors, according to pipo wey sabi di process wey tok to Sports Business Journal.
Di first bids wey dem collect for June come from Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa, and plenti of di offers pass $50 million. People wey sabi say dis figures na di biggest basketball investment wey anybody don ever propose for di continent. Wetin NBA wan achieve for di New York meetings wey go start on Tuesday na to share dia BAL vision wit African officials before dem continue di talk wit di bidders wey dem prioritise.
BAL don run for six seasons as touring league wey NBA Africa and FIBA dey run together, wit 12 teams from 12 African nations dey qualify every year. Under di new model, dem go start to bring permanent franchises one by one from 2027 season, until e reach 10 privately owned sides wey go play home-and-away fixtures, while di 11th and 12th teams go still qualify every year.
NBA and FIBA don appoint Moelis & Company to manage di sales process and check di pipo wey wan buy, and dem dey prioritise markets wey get infrastructure ready, money and sports management experience. Di franchise pool go include former BAL clubs, new pipo wey wan enta, and soccer brands wey wan start basketball sides.
According to BAL figures, 2026 set records for attendance, viewership and social media engagement. Pass 110,000 fans attend games for South Africa, Morocco and Rwanda, while matches reach pipo for more than 200 countries and territories, including all 54 African nations. Free over-the-air broadcast give 600 million different viewers across di continent, wey be 15 percent more pass last year.
