Spanish broadcaster Onda Cero's "Al primer toque" program said on Thursday that Spanish Basketball League (ACB) club Real Madrid "could try to enter the NBA as a member of the Eastern Conference in the medium term." Real Madrid President Florentino Pérez said last week, "I would love for Real Madrid to play in the NBA. The committee is coming and I will try to talk about it with it." The Boston Celtics will play a preseason game in Spain against Real Madrid on Oct. 8 (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 9/10). ... The ACB announced in a statement that it reached a pre-agreement to include Ourense in the '16-17 season of the ACB. The statement added that the agreement is subject to the "definitive approval of the General Assembly of Clubs, which is scheduled for Sept. 17" (EFE, 9/10). ... Mexico's National Professional Basketball League (LNBP) announced a strategic alliance with Alazraki Sports to try to "bring professional basketball to a higher level in Mexico." Alazraki already works with the Mexican Baseball League (LMB). This season, the LNBP will have only 11 teams. LNBP President Juan Manuel González said, "[FIBA Americas Exec Dir] Alberto García has always told us that Mexico deserves the best league on the continent after the NBA and this is the objective of this alliance" (LA AFICIÓN, 9/9). ... The FIA will develop a "rally safety action plan and establish an expert task force in response to recent fatal accidents." Six spectators were killed when a car left the road on Spain's Rally of La Coruña last weekend, "while there had also been spectator fatalities on domestic events in Australia and Estonia earlier in the year." Those incidents prompted FIA President Jean Todt to "call an extraordinary meeting in Geneva on Wednesday" (AUTOSPORT, 9/10). ... Pirelli is to hold monthly meetings with Formula 1 drivers "in a bid to avoid a repeat of the issues that followed the Belgian Grand Prix." Led by Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, "the condemnation resulted in clear-the-air talks" between Pirelli, F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone, a number of leading drivers including Vettel, "and the key team principals last Friday at Monza." It was a "rare conversation between Pirelli and the drivers, which is to now take place far more frequently" (AUTOSPORT, 9/10). ... South African Rugby Union President Oregan Hoskins has "hit back at allegations of racism following a row over the selection of a mainly white squad for the World Cup." Hoskins said that efforts were being made to "promote the game among black people," and he did not need a "lecture" on racial transformation. In an open letter to South Africans, Hoskins urged the nation to "show loyalty by rallying behind the team." He said that it was "frankly laughable" to suggest that rugby remained an "exclusive, white-dominated" sport. Hoskins: "What we are is a successful, high performance sport in a competitive global environment; we are a responsible South African corporate citizen and we are a business" (BBC, 9/10). ... A "club-driven reserves league is nearing a reality" for '16 after Rugby Football League side Warrington Wolves coach Tony Smith confirmed "as many as nine Super League teams are interested in taking part." The "initial plan to play several breakaway reserve friendlies has now developed into a full competition" for '16, with the Rugby Football League giving the concept its backing. Smith said, "We've been having meetings over here for a number of weeks now, and we're at a point where we're working out the structure of the competition. There's some good things happening behind the scenes" (London GUARDIAN, 9/10).
