The BC "Pari NN" will not play in the next season of the VTB United League.

      The basketball club "Pari NN" will not participate in the VTB United League in the 2026/2027 season. The team's management was unable to secure the necessary funding to participate in the main tournament. Meanwhile, the youth program will continue its work: the "Pari NN" roster will maintain participation in the VTB United Youth League, and the reserve team will continue to represent the region in the Russian Championships among youth. Until this point, the expenses for maintaining the club were covered by the regional budget and sponsorship funds. The region fully met all its financial obligations. However, as explained by the management, the current economic situation has seriously affected existing and potential partners, making the maintenance of a professional team a temporarily unfeasible task.

      "The club retains its training structure, personnel potential, and infrastructure. We focus on the development and nurturing of youth, our young talents. Our goal is to raise a new generation of Nizhny Novgorod basketball," the statement said.

      Rumors about the club's financial problems have been circulating for a long time. At the beginning of summer, information about salary delays emerged, which caught the attention of the State Labor Inspectorate. Meanwhile, the club's general director Mikhail Velmuzhov called the information about salary delays a fabrication that does not intersect with reality. The first payment disruptions began as early as November-December 2025. This led to the departure of legionnaires Shane Gatling, Hunter Dean, and Isaiah Washington. Honorary president Sergey Panov publicly denied the rumors.

      Recall that in the past season, "Pari NN" finished in ninth place with 12 wins in 40 matches and did not make it to the playoffs. By the way, this is not the first loss for Nizhny Novgorod sports this season. In May, the CIRS and the board of HC "Torpedo" decided to close the farm club "Torpedo-Gorky" for financial reasons. A year earlier, the women's hockey team was also disbanded. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+