Former Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has entered the arena of professional basketball by putting his name forward in the race to acquire the NBA Europe franchise that will be based in London. This move pits him directly against a consortium that includes the current owners of the Spurs, the Lewis family, as well as several other high‑profile investors with deep roots in North American sports. According to a report from Sky News, the Lewis family is not acting alone. They have teamed up with the Checketts family, a group that has a long history of involvement in major sports enterprises across the United States and Europe.
The Checketts are the primary architects of the consortium’s bid, and they have already made a formal offer as part of the ongoing auction process for the London NBA Europe team. The Checketts family’s portfolio includes ownership stakes and investment positions in a variety of professional sports clubs. Notably, they have a controlling interest in Real Salt Lake, a franchise that competes in Major League Soccer, and they also hold a share of the St. Louis Blues, a team that plays in the National Hockey League.
Their experience in managing and growing sports properties gives the consortium a strong pedigree and a clear understanding of what it takes to run a successful franchise in a competitive market. Adding another layer of depth to the consortium is the Eccles family. The Eccles have a diversified football portfolio that includes shareholdings in Burnley Football Club, a club that has oscillated between the Premier League and the Championship, as well as a stake in RCD Espanyol, a well‑known club from Barcelona’s Catalonia region that competes in Spain’s top division. By aligning with the Checketts, the Eccles bring additional football expertise and cross‑border connections that could prove valuable in marketing a basketball team to a traditionally football‑focused audience.
Levy’s own consortium is not without its own heavyweight backers. Earlier coverage by Sky News highlighted that he has joined forces with Liberty Global, a multinational telecommunications giant, and MSP Sports Capital, a private‑equity firm that previously invested in McLaren Racing.
MSP’s involvement signals a serious commitment to high‑performance sport and a willingness to inject substantial capital into the venture. Together, these partners form a formidable alternative bid for the NBA London franchise. The race for the London team is part of a broader NBA Europe expansion strategy that aims to establish twelve new clubs across the continent. London has quickly emerged as the most coveted location among the planned sites, which also include major European cities such as Berlin, Manchester, Milan, Munich, Paris and Rome.
The capital’s global profile, financial infrastructure, and passionate fan base make it an ideal launchpad for the league’s ambitious plans to generate billions of dollars in franchise‑sale revenues and related commercial opportunities. The NBA’s vision for Europe is not just about planting teams; it is about creating a sustainable ecosystem that includes local broadcasting deals, merchandising, ticket sales, and community engagement. The first batch of franchise‑sale transactions is expected to be finalized within the next few weeks, setting the stage for a new era of trans‑Atlantic sports collaboration. In parallel to these developments, the NBA continues to capture headlines with marquee player movements.
For instance, LeBron James is slated to make his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers in a high‑profile matchup against the New York Knicks, underscoring the league’s global appeal and its ability to draw attention to its European ventures. Fans eager to follow the NBA Europe rollout can stay informed through a variety of channels.
Sky Sports holds the broadcast rights for NBA games in the United Kingdom, and viewers can watch live games, including the regular season and playoffs, without a contractual commitment via the NOW streaming platform. The league’s presence on Sky Sports also includes dedicated programming that explains the nuances of the new European clubs, their schedules, and the broader impact on the sport’s growth. The trend of wealthy American families and investment groups acquiring stakes in UK sports entities, particularly football clubs, has been accelerating over the past decade.
This influx of capital has reshaped the ownership landscape, introducing new business models, data‑driven performance strategies, and global branding initiatives. Levy’s move into basketball can be seen as a continuation of this pattern, where seasoned football executives leverage their experience to diversify into other high‑profile sports.
Levy’s departure from his role as executive chairman of Tottenham Hotspur in September 2025 marked the end of a nearly 25‑year tenure at the helm of one of England’s most storied football institutions. While the official statement from both Levy and the club framed the exit as a voluntary step down, industry insiders widely interpreted the transition as being driven by external pressures and strategic disagreements, suggesting that his departure was not entirely of his own choosing. As the auction for the London NBA Europe franchise unfolds, the competition between Levy’s consortium and the Lewis‑Checketts‑Eccles partnership will likely intensify. Both sides bring a mix of local football heritage and North American sports business acumen, creating a compelling narrative for fans, investors, and media alike.
The outcome will determine not only who will own the first NBA team in the United Kingdom’s capital but also how the league’s European expansion will be shaped in its formative years. For those following the story, the best way to stay up‑to‑date is to tune into Sky Sports’ NBA coverage, explore the streaming options on NOW, and keep an eye on official announcements from the NBA and the bidding consortia. As the league prepares to launch its European footprint, the stakes are high, the interest is global, and the potential rewards for the winning owners could be transformative for the sport’s future on both sides of the Atlantic.