The NBA’s global expansion hits Europe as the New Orleans Pelicans face Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. These historic matchups in France and England aim to strengthen Louisiana’s international ties.
The New Orleans Pelicans are headed overseas as they have just been handed two international games against the San Antonio Spurs in 2027. The first in Paris, France, on Jan. 14 and the other in Manchester, England on Jan. 17, the team announced on Wednesday.
Paris is going to be getting a heavy dose of New Orleans over the following few months with the Saints playing the Pittsburgh Steelers there in October. The Pelicans will be playing their third and fourth European games in franchise history, with the first in both France and England.
Here is what New Orleans Governor Gayle Benson had to say about her teams playing these international games, per the Pelicans' release:
"It is a tremendous honor for the Pelicans to represent the City of New Orleans on a global stage while sharing our culture and the spirit of Louisiana with fans around the world. Together with the Saints playing in Paris next season, the opportunity for the Pelicans to play internationally in Paris and Manchester represents another significant step in strengthening our organization’s cultural and economic ties in these regions. These global events reflect the growing impact of football and basketball internationally, and the NBA’s continued efforts to inspire the next generation of fans across Europe. We are grateful to Commissioner Adam Silver to be included in the NBA’s ongoing global expansion."
Adding to that, these are the comments from New Orleans' president of basketball operations Joe Dumars:
“Participating in the games in Paris and Manchester is an incredible opportunity for our organization to proudly represent both the Pelicans franchise and the City of New Orleans on an international stage. These games provide a unique platform to showcase our team, our culture, and our community to global audiences while building meaningful relationships with fans, partners, and communities abroad. We are grateful to be part of the NBA’s continued international growth efforts, and we are excited to help grow the game globally and connect with new generations of basketball fans.”
This should be a great chance for the Pelicans to continue to grow their overseas market. They brought NBA basketball to Australia last year for the preseason. Now, getting the chance to play regular season basketball internationally is an even bigger deal.
They'll have stiff competition for attention there, though. These may be listed as neutral-site games, but the presence of Victor Wembanyama on the Spurs will create a raucous environment of opposing fans. Still, this is a great opportunity for the team.
