Although the introduction of Liv Golf has completely shaken sport to a point where it always tries to meet even years later, at least one owner of the NBA does not think that this type of fracture is possible in its league.
The owner of Utah Jazz, Ryan Smith, closed this idea on social networks on Monday while responding to a former minority owner of the Golden State Warriors. The future of the league, he insisted, is “the brightest it has ever been”.
Having ownership challenges in 4 professional sports leagues, I could not be more in disagreement. The future and scope of the NBA are the brightest it has ever been. The world’s movement and adoption of the actors as well as a solid mobile experience are differentiated. The more the desire to innovate and change … https://t.co/j3z3to1kd9
– Ryan Smith (@ryanqualtrics) February 3, 2025
To be fair, Smith is a bit biased here. As the team owner – he bought the team for $ 1.66 billion in 2020, and also having the NHL Utah hockey club, Real Salt Lake of MLS and the Royals of The NWSL Utah – it takes advantage of it very clearly when the league itself is doing well.
The idea began on Monday after Chamath Palihapitiya said that he had sold his minority participation in the Warriors, in part, fearing that a new professional basketball league threatens the NBA. Although this may seem a wacky idea, it has already happened elsewhere in the world of sport, and new basketball leagues appear.
The public investment fund of Saudi Arabia launched its rival league, Liv Golf, at the PGA Tour and has signed several of the biggest names in sport to ridiculously lucrative agreements. The two parties have been engaged in talks of a merger of Stres for more than a year now, but the golf as a whole is still very fractured.
There is I spoke of a new international basketball leagueSupported by Maverick Carter, and they are looking to collect $ 5 billion to start. This league apparently has no intention of competing directly with the NBA, but rather aspires to be “F1 for basketball”. Unrivaled The 3×3 Women’s Basketball League, made his debut this year.
The NBA commissioner Adam Silver was also opened to want a league in the NBA Europe. The Euroleague, the National Basketball League in Australia and Chinese Basketball Association are three of the largest and best leagues in the world outside the NBA. The NBA also launched Basketball Africa League in 2019 in order to develop this continent. The NBA should also develop in the near future. Seattle and Las Vegas are often considered as cities that are at the top of this list.
But at least at this stage, it seems that a real threat to the NBA is far away. Given the amount that the PIF has spent to launch the Golf LIV as a real competitor of the PGA Tour, billions of dollars would be needed to threaten the best world basketball league that constantly brings the best talents around the world.