Milan and the derby but not only: with Gerry Cardinale's imminent arrival in Milan, basketball and NBA Europe could also be involved.
These are very intense days for Milanese sports. On Sunday, Milan and Inter will face each other in a city derby that could decide the Scudetto, while on Monday Olimpia Milano will face Cantù in one of the most traditional basketball derbies.
This is the present, but the future suggests that the two worlds could intertwine because the NBA Europe project intrigues, and not a little, the owner of Milan, who is ready to consider concrete moves.
Lawyer Felice Raimondo discusses this in RedBlack Insight, analyzing a possible strategy that Cardinale, expected at San Siro on Sunday specifically for the derby, could implement to involve Olimpia Milano in the NBA project.
Cardinale and NBA Europe:
It is no secret that Cardinale is in close contact with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to evaluate the possibility of joining the new project, turning the Rossoneri brand into a franchise to further increase the club's value.
The question is how Milan could enter the NBA Europe project, whether through Olimpia Milano (owned by the Armani group) or through Milan, or possibly through both entities combined.
Can Cardinale buy Olimpia Milano?
Among the rumors circulating is that RedBird’s CEO Gerry Cardinale could acquire Olimpia Milano.
Felice Raimondo analyzes the situation, starting with the possible costs of the deal. According to the lawyer, buying the basketball club could cost between 100 and 150 million euros, with a fanbase already in place. The negotiation would be with Giorgio Armani’s heirs.
Purchasing an already established and ready company would be more expensive than creating a new entity, but it would avoid the need to secure a license to play in the LBA, since the agreement between NBA Europe and FIBA respects domestic leagues.
According to Raimondo, Cardinale’s acquisition of Olimpia Milano is credible and could involve gradual rebranding over 3–5 years.
The key factor is the San Donato Milanese area, already owned by Milan, where a 20,000-seat arena could be built, with space for Milan Futuro, the women’s team, and other events.
This perspective, combined with the New San Siro, could raise Milan’s value to 5 billion euros by 2035, against an investment slightly over 1 billion in 2024, as reported by Calcio Mercato.
