There is a lot of talk about the NBA eventually expanding over to Europe adding a new division with six teams spread throughout the continent. This has been addressed by Commissioner David Stern who acknowledges this as a possibility in the future. Basketball is one of the world's most popular sports and is quickly increasing in popularity.
This venture would undoubtedly be a financial blessing. It also has potential to be great for the game. The rest of the world has already caught up with the skill level of the NBA. You can see the difference and the progression of the rest of the world when comparing the Olympics of now to the games back in the 90's with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and the rest of the Dream Team. This team had absolutely no competition. Today, many of the top NBA players are from another country and are filling up team rosters. The merging process has already begun and seems inevtiable.
There are some issues that need to be resolved. For example, does more teams mean more games? I am an old school NBA fan and believe in the preservation of the game and its records. More games will alter NBA records and distort history. Also, imagine the jet lag players will have to endure. Constantly flying over seas on a regular basis could be a problem.
Will the new NBA be embraced by Americans or turn out to be a turn off????
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