NBA aiming to set up in Europe - report

The NBA is weighing up a plan to create up to five European teams to play in their league, US media reported.

Sports Illustrated's website SI.com said they had been told by a source that NBA commissioner David Stern will announce the proposal at a news conference tomorrow.

A spokesman for the NBA told Reuters that the idea had been circulating within the organisation but could not confirm details.

According to SI.com, the idea is to create five new teams in large markets to create a fully-fledged European division within the NBA. The teams would participate in the entire 82-game schedule and compete for the title as any other team would.

The report said the location of possible European franchises was linked to the availability of large arenas which could be NBA-ready and cited London, Berlin, Rome and Madrid as possible venues.

The SI.com said Stern's idea was to move the NBA into recently-built arenas before a potential rival might start up a Europe-wide league.

The report is the latest sign of increasing globalisation of top sports leagues - the NFL and NHL have both played games in London in the past year and in March Major League Baseball teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, will play games in China.

Last week, English soccer's Premier League announced plans to play a round of matches internationally.