The Basketball Africa League (BAL) has begun its second conference stage in Rabat on Friday, as organisers push ahead with plans to raise up to $600 million through franchise sales despite ongoing financial losses.

The Sahara Conference at Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex features teams from Morocco, Egypt, Senegal, Tunisia, Ivory Coast and Nigeria, following the Kalahari Conference in South Africa that sent Petro de Luanda (Angola), RSSB Tigers (Rwanda), Al Ahly Libya and Dar City (Tanzania) to next month’s playoffs in Kigali.

The BAL, launched in 2019 by the National Basketball Association as part of its expansion into Africa, has expanded to two six-team conferences this season.

While the league has grown in size and audience, questions remain over its financial sustainability.

According to Forbes, the league recorded a loss of $19 million in 2024, and organizers hope to raise revenue through franchise sales by 2027.

By selling 12 permanent franchises for roughly $50 million apiece, the league aims to secure $600 million in investment — a bold bet on African basketball's commercial future that will test investor appetite for the continent's sporting potential.