The news around Manchester United took a strange turn on Monday with the suggestion that the club may look to invest in the new expansion of the current model.
The current top league in Europe, the EuroLeague,
already features several clubs involved in multiple sports, including football, such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
According to a report from Corriere Dello Sport in Italy, Italian Basketball Federation President Gianni Petrucci unveiled plans to expand the league to major European cities, including Manchester, to introduce 10 or 12 founding franchises in an effort to capitalize on the growing popularity of the sport outside of the United States.
Petrucci reportedly said, “If Manchester United, the most popular football team in the world, has already said yes, there must be a reason.”
The rumored NBA Europe was also reported on by The Mirror in the United Kingdom, linking Manchester United to the project.
United’s current leadership under Sir Jim Ratcliffe features several executives with experience in multiple sports, notably cycling and sailing, so it wouldn’t be a ridiculous thought to try and expand. Basketball has been a sport on the rise for some time, and the influx of European players in recent decades has helped to grow the sport overseas.
