NBA Owners Vote on Expansion Bids for Seattle and Las Vegas

National Basketball Association Board of Governors Votes to Explore Expansion Bids for Las Vegas and Seattle

The National Basketball Association’s Board of Governors has unanimously voted in favour of exploring expansion bids for two new teams, one in Las Vegas and the other in Seattle. The vote, which took place on Wednesday, sets the stage for the league to formally pursue these opportunities.

According to Commissioner Adam Silver, the decision reflects the board’s interest in expanding the league into these two markets, both of which have a history of supporting NBA basketball. “We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties,” Silver stated.

The vote does not guarantee that Seattle or Las Vegas will receive expansion teams, but it allows the league to initiate an exploration process. Bids for the new franchises are expected to range between $7 billion and $10 billion per team.

Seattle lost its NBA franchise, the SuperSonics, in 2008 when ownership relocated the team to Oklahoma City due to a failure to secure a new arena deal. Las Vegas has never had an NBA team but is growing as a major sports market, with existing franchises in the NFL and NHL, and Major League Baseball’s Athletics planning a move there.

If the league moves forward, both teams are expected to begin play ahead of the 2028-29 season, marking the NBA’s most significant expansion step since the Charlotte Bobcats joined in 2004. The new franchises will join the Western Conference, with speculation surrounding potential roster changes to balance the conferences at 16 teams each.

Source: Al Jazeera