London Lions in EuroLeague franchise bid
London Lions are in the mix for a EuroLeague franchise in London as the competition pushes towards an expanded 24-team model to compete with the incoming NBA Europe League.
City AM reported that EuroLeague CEO Chus Bueno said the Lions are one of several potential buyers for the London franchise, with the club already taking steps to strengthen their case by securing a place in EuroCup for 2026-27.
“In the case of London, we have the interest of the London Lions, just to be clear. They want to become franchisees, they said it already,” Bueno told City AM.
“But also we have two more investors that are interested. For me, London is a big market, everyone wants to have London, we see an acute opportunity – it’s a no-brainer, right?”
Bueno also warned there was “more risk” in establishing a franchise in London, pointing to the challenges of building a viable top-level basketball audience in the capital. He suggested the domestic league may not provide the right platform if the franchise wants to attract elite talent and build strong crowds.
The comments are a blow for Super League Basketball, with Bueno saying the domestic league “is not as competitive as other European domestic leagues”.
“If you tell top talent that you’re going to play in a small college arena, 800 people, it’s not very compelling,” he said.
He added that a London franchise would need to prove the model before any wider expansion, ruling out multiple London teams and saying Manchester was “way too risky” for a EuroLeague franchise at this stage.
The Lions, who were crowned domestic quadruple champions this season, have already lined up EuroCup basketball for 2026-27 after agreeing a three-plus-two year deal with Euroleague Basketball last week. They have also publicly pushed ahead with plans for a new dedicated arena in London, which would strengthen any long-term bid to move into the continent’s top competition.
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