NBA Doubles Down on Basketball Africa League Franchising Push | Source Reporters
LONDON — The National Basketball Association is pressing ahead with plans to sell franchises in the Basketball Africa League (BAL), positioning club ownership in Africa as the league's next growth frontier, according to a CNN feature published July 29, 2026.
By Source Reporters Newsdesk
Thu, 27 August 2026 · 1 min read
LONDON — The National Basketball Association is pressing ahead with plans to sell franchises in the **Basketball Africa League (BAL)**, positioning club ownership in Africa as the league's next growth frontier, according to a CNN feature published July 29, 2026.
## Why the NBA is franchising the Basketball Africa League
The CNN report describes a shift from the BAL's original licensed-club model toward permanent franchise ownership, which the NBA says would give investors long-term stakes in African basketball's boom. CNN framed the move as "the NBA's new frontier," citing rising viewership, sponsorship and youth participation across the continent.
The strategy follows months of groundwork: Bloomberg reported in January that the NBA had opened talks with Silverbacks on a BAL franchise (Bloomberg via Google News), while deputy commissioner Mark Tatum outlined the league's "next transition" in June, per Andscape.
## Where the BAL stands after season six
The sixth BAL season tipped off March 27, 2026 in South Africa (NBA.com/FIBA), with Rwanda's RSSB Tigers crowned champions on May 31, per NBA.com. No match was played Tuesday; therefore no final score applies to this report.
CNN did not disclose franchise price tags or bidder names; those figures remain **Unverified**.
**Sources:** Google News
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