By Joe Vardon / The Athletic
An Uber driver collected a passenger behind a bustling basketball venue where an NBA match had just concluded.
He navigated through dark side streets on the fringes of one of the globe’s biggest and most clogged cities. He drove over curbs, slowed down significantly to avoid large potholes and, at one point, reversed the vehicle and navigated a turn backwards.
The winding journey concluded on a primary road 2 miles from the extensive traffic snarl in front of Mexico City Arena. The 6-mile trip to the hotel, located in the wealthy Polanco district where the Miami Heat and Washington Wizards were staying for their match, took 46 minutes.
Nick Lagios had a less fortunate experience. Lagios, an American who previously worked with the Los Angeles Lakers, serves as the general manager for one of the prominent pro basketball teams in Mexico City. He entered a taxi amid the halted procession of vehicles following the game. Although he was headed to Polanco, his home, it required him three hours to arrive.
“Traveling to and from this arena, particularly when it’s busy, is an utter traffic nightmare,” Lagios noted.
Should the NBA ultimately establish a franchise in Mexico City, which league commissioner Adam Silver has hinted is a possibility, it would be due to the enormous market potential, including the capacity to attract a crowd. However, while postgame traffic jams are common after an NBA event, 41 home dates experiencing similar gridlocks are merely one aspect to question the practicality of league expansion into Mexico.
Numerous other factors must be considered by the league: the overcrowding; a complex geographical layout that could hinder the construction of a new arena; and the socio-economic conditions in the world’s fifth-largest city.
On November 2, the night the Heat and Wizards faced off in Mexico City, Silver encountered Ted Leonsis, owner of the Wizards, at the venue.
“The first thing he remarked was, we ought to have a team in Mexico City,” Silver recounted.
In an interview here, Silver acknowledged that American cities like Las Vegas and Seattle would likely receive an NBA team before Mexico City and that potential expansion south of the U.S. border might be “many years away.” Nevertheless, he further stated that expanding to Mexico City would be “more beneficial because we would be activating a massive, receptive market.”
The NBA conducted its inaugural exhibition game in Mexico City back in 1992. Since that time, there have been an additional 32 regular-season or exhibition matches in the city. In 2022, the Mexico City Capitanes began hosting G League home games in Mexico.
The venue where the Heat and Wizards competed, and where the Capitanes hold their home games, was constructed at a cost of $300 million and opened its doors in 2012. Around that period, the Maloof family contemplated relocating the Sacramento Kings, and Robert Hernreich, a minority stakeholder in the Kings, urged the family and David Stern, the league commissioner of that time, to consider establishing a team in Mexico City. Hernreich even accompanied league officials on a tour of the facility.
“I didn’t advocate strongly enough for it, and I regret that,” stated Hernreich, recalling Stern’s advice: “Bobby, look elsewhere. We’re not going to pursue Mexico City.’”
Under Silver’s leadership, that perspective has shifted.
Mexico City stands as the largest city in North America, housing a population of 22 million. Mexico boasts a population of 130 million, and according to the league’s own findings, there are 32 million NBA enthusiasts, including 13 million fans between the ages of 14 and 30.
The NBA maintains significant offices in Mexico City and Sao Paulo, Brazil. The league counts over 121 million fans throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, considering Mexico as one of its top five markets for League Pass subscriptions.
Mexico City Arena is, by all measures, a venue suitable for the NBA. The concourses are roomy, the scoreboards are large, the sound system is top-notch, and the locker rooms are adequately spacious. It also hosts major musical acts.
“I believe that culturally, observing the transformations we’ve encountered, even over the past 30 years that we’ve held games here, we transitioned from being somewhat of a novelty to a widely accepted sport here,” Silver expressed. “If we were to establish an NBA franchise here, there’s no doubt it would ignite and spur the growth of the game.”
Indeed, Mexico City faces a traffic dilemma. As per anthropologist Lachlan Summers, who has researched this topic, residents lose approximately 6.5 days each year ensnared in congested highways and thoroughfares. A separate analysis of traffic in Los Angeles suggests that commuters there waste about 3.5 days annually in jams.
However, the traffic situation, concerning the NBA’s possibility of establishing a permanent base in Mexico City, is more intricate than merely having excess vehicles on the roadway. It begins with the safety of the millionaire players who would reside in Mexico City for at least six months of the year.
According to Numbeo, a platform monitoring global crime statistics, Mexico City had a crime rate of 67.7 per 100,000 residents in mid-2024, ranking as the 32nd highest worldwide. There were two NBA cities — Detroit and Memphis — that exhibited higher crime rates, with Milwaukee and New Orleans placing 33rd and 34th respectively.
Comparatively, Mexico City is economically less prosperous than major American cities. A 2022 study from the Mexican government indicated that the average monthly income for a Mexico City resident ranges from $660 to $720.
“When many think of Mexico, safety concerns and issues along the border are often the first thoughts,” remarked Lagios, who served as general manager of the Capitanes for three years before taking on a similar role with the Diablos Rojos of Mexico’s premier pro basketball league. “However, over time, I heard other teams expressing apprehension about visiting, only to arrive and find it is wonderful.”
This is partly due to the fact that visiting teams from the G League lodge in Polanco. If an NBA franchise were to establish itself at Mexico City Arena, Polanco would likely be the prime area for players to reside.
Yet on game nights, the 6-mile journey from the arena to Polanco can feel akin to traveling from Dallas to Houston. The arena is encircled on three sides by a wall, and limited parking options exist apart from the onsite garage, which has a maximum of two exits that both lead to the same street.
Moreover, the area surrounding the arena is deteriorating. Affluent basketball players would probably be disinclined to relocate nearer to the venue for a better commute — a concern that might affect ticket-buying attendees as well.
“Those who are able to afford NBA ticket prices tend to reside far from the arena,” noted Othon Díaz, CEO of the Diablos Rojos’ sports teams. “The vicinity isn’t the most favorable — in terms of security, the streets are not particularly appealing. You might attend a concert once every three to four months, but four to six games a month? That’s an issue.”
It’s challenging to equate the Diablos Rojos or the Capitanes to a possible NBA franchise in Mexico City, given that they are part of minor league basketball. Both teams have seen a degree of success, but neither is yet profitable.
The Diablos Rojos conduct their basketball games in a 5,000-seat venue where the 1968 Olympic tournament occurred in Mexico City. Alfredo Harp Helú, who owns the Diablos Rojos and has a stake in the San Diego Padres, along with his son, Santiago, 24, who is the vice president of the Diablos Rojos’ board, aim to construct a new arena — not just for the Diablos Rojos, but potentially for an NBA or WNBA team as well.
The Capitanes train at the outdated facility of the Mexican Olympic Committee, which falls short of NBA standards. A suitable practice facility would also be necessary for any NBA or WNBA team.
“Mexico City is in need of a new arena,” Santiago Harp stated. He added, “I’m truly enthusiastic about having a quality venue.”
