Lewis family challenge Levy in US$1bn NBA Europe race

The Lewis family, who control Tottenham Hotspur, are exploring a bid for NBA Europe’s proposed London franchise as they consider expanding their sports investments beyond football.They have joined forces with the Checketts and Eccles families, combining basketball, football, venue and investment experience in a consortium seeking one of the most valuable teams in the NBA and FIBA-backed competition.A source close to the consortium said: “Collectively, they represent a rare combination of basketball expertise, world-class sports ownership experience, state-of-the-art venue development capability and long-term capital - uniquely placed to support a franchise of this scale and ambition.”The bid creates an intriguing contest with Daniel Levy, Tottenham’s former executive chairman, who is involved in a separate consortium alongside Liberty Global and MSP Sports Capital.The Lewis family have controlled Spurs since Joe Lewis acquired a majority interest in 2001. They own 70.12% of ENIC, Tottenham’s parent company, which holds 87.62% of the Premier League club.Vivienne Lewis and her son-in-law Nick Beucher have emerged as prominent representatives of the family’s interests, with Beucher also serving as co-chief executive of Tavistock Group.Their partners bring extensive US sports experience. The Checketts family have previously owned or invested in Real Salt Lake and the St Louis Blues, while David Checketts has held senior positions with the Utah Jazz and New York Knicks.The Eccles family have invested in Burnley and Espanyol and have experience in sports infrastructure linked to the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and the 2034 Games.London has emerged as one of the most competitive markets in the NBA Europe process, with technology billionaire Nikesh Arora leading another consortium prepared to offer more than US$1bn for the franchise.Other interested parties have included the Reuben family and a range of institutional and private investors, highlighting expectations that London could become the league’s most valuable market.NBA Europe is targeting a 2027 launch with 16 teams, including 12 permanent franchises and four annual qualifiers. London and Manchester are among the proposed cities alongside Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Munich, Milan, Rome, Athens, Istanbul and Lyon.Venue strategy will be another major consideration for the eventual London owner, with the undeveloped estate around Battersea Power Station among locations linked with a potential new arena.The NBA has said it received significant investor interest across Europe, with bids in several target markets reaching between US$500m and US$1bn or more.The Lewis consortium’s entry adds another well-capitalised contender to the London process while opening the prospect of Tottenham’s owners building a multi-sport investment platform beyond their long-standing Premier League interests.