NBA to play 2 regular-season games in London

[Mogreen17]

LONDON -- The NBA is taking regular-season games to Europe for the first time.

NBA commissioner David Stern announced Monday that the Toronto Raptors and New Jersey Nets will play a pair of regular-season games in London this season.

The teams will face each other March 4 and 5 at the O2 Arena, the same venue that has hosted preseason games over the last several years.

“
We'll need to assess how we do in March. It would not surprise me if this becomes an annual event. But I don't want to make a commitment on it.
”
-- NBA commissioner David Stern
Stern said on a conference call he wasn't yet sure if the regular-season games would be an annual occurrence for the league.

"We'll need to assess how we do in March," Stern said. "It would not surprise me if this becomes an annual event. But I don't want to make a commitment on it."

The NBA has been looking to expand overseas for years, and Stern has said in the past he would like to play a meaningful game in London before the city hosts the Olympics in 2012.

Before this season opens, the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves will each play two games in the fifth installment of the NBA's preseason Europe Live Tour. The 2009 champion Lakers will face the Timberwolves at the O2 Arena on Oct. 4 and then play Barcelona in Spain three days later.

The NFL will be playing a regular-season game in London for the fourth straight season when the San Francisco 49ers face the Denver Broncos on Oct. 31 at Wembley Stadium. The NHL has also played regular-season games in London, and still does so in other European cities.

Stern also spoke about the possibility of having NBA franchises based in Europe, but didn't sound overly optimistic about that happening anytime soon.

"I think one franchise doesn't work. It needs to be multiple franchise," Stern said. "We need buildings ... we need owners ... we need a better economy.

"It's certainly something that I and my successors will be considering."




http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5448957

[Roy Hobbs]

The Raptors and Nets, huh?  Those lucky Londoners.

[Greenbean]

The Raptors and Nets, huh?  Those lucky Londoners.

TP seriously. I wouuld have put money on the Miami Globetrotters and the Lakers

[Snakehead]

The Raptors and Nets, huh?  Those lucky Londoners.

LOL.  The way to get interest in Europe is by throwing two of our very worst teams over there I guess. 

I'm sure no better teams would agree or need to agree.

[hpantazo]

well, the Raptors at least have enough international players to be appealing to the european fans but the Nets? I have no idea why they are going.

[Snakehead]

well, the Raptors at least have enough international players to be appealing to the european fans but the Nets? I have no idea why they are going.

Maybe the European owner?  I'm sure he wasn't against it, that's for sure.  He is trying to build that team for the future and I think the trend of overseas popularity with some of these players probably appeals to him.

[hpantazo]

well, the Raptors at least have enough international players to be appealing to the european fans but the Nets? I have no idea why they are going.

Maybe the European owner?  I'm sure he wasn't against it, that's for sure.  He is trying to build that team for the future and I think the trend of overseas popularity with some of these players probably appeals to him.

ah yes, the Russian billionaire. That makes sense.

[the_Bird]

It's got to be because of the Nyets new owner.  Toronto's a natural choice, both because Toronto itself is a very "global" city and because they've deliberately loaded up on international players.  The Nyets aren't a particularly global squad, but you know that the new guy (whose name is escaping me at the moment) wants to really promote the team as a global franchise.

The other team that might have made sense would have been Dallas, if for no other reason than Dirk (and Cuban being pretty forward-looking in terms of his global approach).

[hpantazo]

It's got to be because of the Nyets new owner.  Toronto's a natural choice, both because Toronto itself is a very "global" city and because they've deliberately loaded up on international players.  The Nyets aren't a particularly global squad, but you know that the new guy (whose name is escaping me at the moment) wants to really promote the team as a global franchise.

The other team that might have made sense would have been Dallas, if for no other reason than Dirk (and Cuban being pretty forward-looking in terms of his global approach).

Dallas would be a great choice, except they would crush the Raptors thus the game would be pretty boring. That and Stern probably can't afford to p--- off the Russian Mark Cuban.

[ACF]

The Raptors and Nets, huh?  Those lucky Londoners.

LOL.  The way to get interest in Europe is by throwing two of our very worst teams over there I guess. 

I'm sure no better teams would agree or need to agree.

Well, if the Nets and Raps came to Copenhagen, I'd pay money to see them play.

Also, I remember a European preseason game between Boston and Minnesota a few years back