While it will take place in just over a year, the NBA Paris Game 2024 is already being prepared behind the scenes.
This basketball event, unique in Europe, has become part of the NBA regular season schedule. And it is very popular with fans. When the ticket office opened, the thousands of seats put up for sale all found takers within minutes.
NBA Paris Games History
NBA games in Paris are not something new. Many pre-season games have been held in the French capital since the late 1990s. However, official regular season games are more recent. The first NBA Paris Games took place in 2020.
Before being held in Paris, NBA regular season games in Europe were held in London. From 2011 to 2019, the British capital hosted no fewer than eight games. Several teams traveled to England. For logistical reasons, they all play in the Eastern Conference. Except the Denver Nuggets (2017 edition). There were, of course, the legendary New York Knicks and Boston Celtics. But also the Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards. Without forgetting the Indiana Pacers, the Philadelphia Sixers, the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks.
One or two NBA games in Paris in 2024?
During the 2011 edition of the NBA London Games, the Raptors and the Nets had faced each other twice, in back-to-back. The show and the suspense were there. Indeed, it took three extra times to decide between the two teams in the second game. Since then, only one match has been organized per trip on European soil. Nevertheless, faced with very high fan demand, it is certain that the Accor Hotel Arena would be full for two NBA games in two days. Seats would sell at the same pace. NBA fans are traveling from all over Europe to attend this event. In Europe, the pool of people interested in NBA games is huge. We are talking about several hundred thousand people who register each year to have access to pre-sale tickets for the NBA Paris Game.
NBA Paris Game 2024 Tickets
Ticketing information for the NBA Paris Game 2024 is not yet available. We just know that the game should have taken place in the month of January. We will have to wait several more months to find out the poster for the next edition of this annual event! Additionally, tickets will not go on sale until the 2023-24 NBA season begins. If you would like to receive information as it becomes available, you can complete the form below. Our team of journalists is on the lookout for all the news around the NBA Paris Game.
The reciprocal love between the NBA and France
On January 24, 2020, the NBA held an official regular season game in Paris for the first time in history. The Charlotte Hornets were opposed to the Milwaukee Bucks. This sporting event not to be missed under any circumstances shows how popular the North American basketball championship has become in France. The enthusiasm generated by this meeting was enormous. No less than 120,000 people registered on a platform offering the possibility of access, for the luckiest, to the pre-sale of the ticket office.
France: a privileged market for the NBA in Europe
In their quest for internationalization, NBA executives have understood it well: France represents a huge community of fans. It’s probably the biggest in Europe. It is therefore logical that NBA intervenes regularly in the City of Light. By organizing various temporary events, such as NBA Crossover exhibitions, for example. These animations meet with huge popular success each time. There are many reasons for this enthusiasm. Note that France is one of the most Americanized countries in Europe. Among the countries represented in the NBA, France has one of the highest contingents of players. And this, behind the unavoidable United States and Canada. In addition, beIN SPORTS has democratized the broadcasting of the NBA on daily television over the past few years.
In addition to the big decision-makers of the NBA, players themselves have a particular affect with France. But for different reasons. Of course, once their season is over in the United States, the French athletes playing there always enjoy returning home, visiting their families and responding to requests from the media and fans. More surprisingly, a certain number of their American colleagues also show a personal interest in France. Met in Los Angeles in November 2019 on the sidelines of NBA games, Patrick Beverley and Evan Turner both made us a declaration of love for France, its capital but also its South East.
The attractiveness of Paris and France for NBA players
“I love France. Paul George likes it too, especially the South. We love France. Paris, Nice, Cannes, we have already come for the holidays in summer. It’s super good!”, narrates the playmaker of the Californian franchise.
For his part, the former forward of the Hawks was in the capital in May 2019, with his former teammate Maurice Harkless.
“I went to Nanterre to see the game of my friend David Lighty who played with Tony Parker’s team. It was fun. I adore Paris, it is one of my favorite cities. I was only there a few days. In addition to having done a little shopping, I saw the Louvre from the outside, of course the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and a version of the Statue of Liberty. There are some really good places to explore. Once the season is over, I really need to go back for about a week in order to take the time to appreciate it.” says the former number 2 of the 2010 NBA draft. This one has not gone unnoticed in the streets of Paris. “Some people actually recognized me. I was sitting somewhere and they just walked up to me.”, adds Turner.
Historically, the biggest stars of American basketball, such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony or Damian Lillard have all already spent a few days in Paris. Whether for contractual reasons with their equipment supplier, or sometimes also for well-deserved holidays. The love between the NBA and France is definitely real. And undoubtedly sometimes more or less interested, as in any relationship…
