The English Premier League and the NBA are exploring a marketing and commercial tie-up that would draw on the strengths of the world's two most popular sports leagues as they expand into new international markets.
Representatives from the football and basketball organisations have met in London to discuss how they might work together. They have also compared notes on their respective media rights strategies – particularly in Asia, which is a huge and still largely untapped market for western sport.
David Stern NBA commissioner said: “We are unapologetic imitators. The Premier League's ability to negotiate their [media] deals and the way they split their packages [of media rights] . . . is something we can learn from.”