Maverick Carterhistoric business manager of LeBron Jameswould be alongside a group of investors aiming to launch a global basketball league capable of competing with the NBAaccording to what was reported by Front Office Sports e Bloomberg.
The project involves the creation of a league that includes six men’s and six women’s teamswith matches played in eight international citiesin a format that rotates every two weeks. Among the locations planned, Singapore is one of the main destinations. The model, inspired by the Formula 1 global calendaraims to offer an exclusive and international basketball experience.
The investor group, which is trying to raise 5 billion dollars through private equity funds, sovereign funds and private investors, has among its supporters prominent figures such as Geoff Prentice, co-founder of SkypeGrady Burnett, former executive of Facebookand Jason Stein and Daniel Haimovic of SC Holdings. The management of the fundraising is entrusted to UBS Group AG and Evercore Inc.
Despite Carter’s involvement, LeBron James is not directly involved in the projectalthough he has expressed interest in acquiring an NBA franchise after his retirement in the past.
The NBA has had no significant rivals since 1976, year in which he absorbed the ABA. Previous attempts to challenge America’s dominant sports leagues, such as football leagues that attempted to compete with the NFL, have mostly failed. Even in women’s basketball, the ABL attempted to challenge the WNBA in the 1990s, but retired after just two seasons.
The emergence of lega Unrivaledwhich debuts Friday featuring several WNBA stars, is a testament to the growing interest in alternative basketball formats, marking a step toward new possibilities for the sport’s future.
2025-01-17 10:32:00