LeBron James
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Economists project bids for an NBA expansion team will range between $7-10 billion
Bidding wars for expansion teams in Seattle and Las Vegas are officially underway.
The NBA Board of Governors voted to approve NBA expansion teams in both cities on Wednesday, ESPN reported. This vote now allows for the league to explore bids and applicants for the new teams.
“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,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties.”
The Charlotte Bobcats (now the Hornets) joined the NBA in 2004, marking the league’s most recent expansion. Therefore, this week’s vote represents the first significant step toward expansion in over 20 years—a long-awaited change for a league whose popularity and value have increased globally.
Back in 2004, the expansion fee for the Bobcats was $300 million.
For parties interested in owning the Seattle or Vegas expansion teams, the price will be much steeper.
Industry projections suggest a new expansion team in Las Vegas, for example, could cost anywhere from $7 billion to as much as $10 billion, making it one of the most expensive entries into any professional sports league in history.
Given Vegas’ status as a growing epicenter of American sports, the bid could climb even higher.
Amazingly, it could even break the Los Angeles Lakers‘ multi-billion-dollar purchase record. Dodgers owner Mark Walter purchased a majority stake in the Lakers for a record-setting $10 billion valuation in October 2025.
Now that the Board of Governors has voted to move things forward this week, the next phase would involve formal expansion bids. During this process, expect several deep-pocketed businessmen and women to submit top-dollar bids.
League Expansion Paves Way for SuperSonics Return
Seattle Sonics
GettyNBA is exploring expansion teams in Seattle and Las Vegas
Regardless of who ultimately becomes the team owner, Seattle fans have to be thrilled by the news.
The metroplex has been without an NBA franchise since the SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008.
One Roof Sports and Entertainment, launched by Seattle Kraken ownership as a parent brand on Monday, has already emerged as a potential ownership group. One Roof CEO Tod Leiweke confirmed to KING 5 on Wednesday that the group has entered the bidding war.
Silver also was asked if there’s anything more the city of Seattle needs to prove in order to land an expansion team.
“I don’t think it’s about anything specific that the city of Seattle needs to do,” Silver said. “We have strong business partners there. I travel there frequently. The (WNBA’s) Storm have had great success in Seattle. It’s just a wonderful market. And on top of that, enormous economic growth around technology.
“I think it has more to do with who comes forward as the potential owner, understanding the arena situation, understanding the economics. Because putting aside what somebody is willing to pay for the franchise, we want to make sure they’re in a position to be successful. Whether that means sharing a building with the hockey team or whatever arrangement is put forward.”
The SuperSonics played in Emerald City from 1967 to 2008, winning the 1979 NBA Championship. Notably, they battled against the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in the 1996 NBA Finals.
Notably, the Oklahoma City Thunder don’t claim any Seattle history as their own. The Thunder’s official record books begin with the 2008-09 season, meaning Seattle’s new franchise will take sole possession of the Sonics’ history.