Italian MEP Carolina Morace, a prominent figure in European sport, has issued a formal institutional challenge to the “NBA Europe” project.
Morace has submitted an official written question to the European Commission seeking clarity on whether the initiative aligns with the principles and regulatory framework that govern sport across the continent.
In her document, the MEP outlines significant risks to the European sports model.
Chief among her concerns are the potential extraction of economic value by foreign entities and the erosion of governance within European sports federations.
The initiative could also negatively affect national leagues, grassroots programs, youth development systems, and women’s sports.
According to Morace, the structure proposed by “NBA Europe” appears to prioritize short-term profitability over community interests and core values such as equality and solidarity.
The “NBA Europe” project—driven by the United States’ National Basketball Association (NBA) in collaboration with the Fédération Internationale de Basketball (FIBA)—aims to establish a closed league in Europe with permanent franchises and external corporate control.
This model, the written question argues, could undermine the European sports framework, which is built on solidarity, community participation, and the development of young athletes.
The specific questions submitted to the Commission include whether “NBA Europe” could constitute a monopolistic structure incompatible with EU objectives on competition and cohesion.
Morace also asks the Commission to explain how it plans to prevent fiscal, social, and governance-related value generated by European sport from being siphoned off to non-EU entities.
It is worth noting that the European Parliament previously adopted a resolution—passed by an overwhelming majority—calling for the protection of the European sports model and urging the Commission to intervene against initiatives that extract economic value generated in Europe.
The European Commission now has six weeks to issue its official response to Morace’s inquiry.