The National Basketball Association Board of Governors voted on Wednesday in favour of the league exploring bids for expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle.
“Today’s vote reflects our Board’s interest in exploring potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle – two markets with a long history of support for NBA basketball,” Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.
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“We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties.” The vote does not guarantee Seattle and Las Vegas will receive expansion teams, but it allows the league to formally explore those opportunities, with bids expected to command between $7bn and $10bn per team.
Seattle lost the SuperSonics in 2008 when ownership relocated the franchise to Oklahoma City after failing to secure a new arena deal.
Las Vegas has never had an NBA team but continues to grow as a major sports market, already home to NFL and NHL franchises, with Major League Baseball’s Athletics planning a move there as well.
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.
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