NBA to open London office in bid to encourage European fans

by Joanne Payne, Brand Republic 16-May-07, 16:35

LONDON - The National Basketball Association is to open an office in London as part of its ongoing efforts to bring the NBA closer to its European fanbase.

The office is scheduled to open this summer and will focus on grassroots and business development efforts in the UK and throughout Europe.

In addition the office will focus on basketball development leading up to the London 2012 Olympic Games and will work closely with the British Olympic Association and other basketball groups to increase the popularity of the sport in Europe.

London will host a preseason game between the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves on October 10 as part of the NBA European tour, NBA Europe Live, which is broadcast on the EA Sports channel.

The NBA will start training camps and exhibition games with NBA teams throughout Europe for the second year as part of the 2007 tour.

The announcements came today in a meeting between NBA commissioner David Stern, London Mayor Ken Livingstone and Think London, a foreign direct investment agency for the capital, at the NBA headquarters in New York.

Mayor Livingstone said after the meeting: "This summer will see the Tour de France starting in the capital and later this year we will host our final NFL American Football game.

"These events are giving Londoners an even clearer taste of the sporting spectacle that is to come when the Olympic and Paralympic games come to London in 2012. They also show that winning the Olympics is making London the world capital for sport for the next four years."

This year's tour, which will feature the Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors, will cover six European cities, including a game at London's O2 Arena.