Executives from the IMG Media agency have had talks with David Stern, commissioner of US basketball league the NBA, about establishing a professional basketball league in India, Bloomberg reports.
IMG Reliance, a joint venture between IMG and Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries, acquired the Basketball Federation of India’s broadcast, intellectual property and sponsorship rights – including the right to create a new league backed by the governing body – in a deal agreed in June 2010 which runs until 2040.
The NBA has conducted grassroots events across India over the past two years and the league has a strategic partnership with the Mahindra Group conglomerate, which operates an amateur basketball league in the country.
The Ten Sports pay-television channel shows two NBA games per week in India as well as the league’s marquee events such as the play-offs, conference finals and the finals.