Basketball is a popular sport worldwide; the NBA is very popular in America, and the same goes for Europe where FIBA has a large number of fans. However, for a number of reasons, the sport has not reached the same level of popularity in the United Kingdom.
For some time, the British Basketball League has been blaming underfunding and a lack of media coverage on basketball for preventing the sport from reaching its full potential. However, this situation is beginning to reverse as a result of sudden international interest in British basketball. In February 2020, a worldwide education group BAU Global bought the majority shares of the Plymouth Raiders basketball team. Just a few months later in June 2020, Miami based private investment firm 777 Partners invested in the London Lions team.
Founded in 1977 as the Hemel Hempstead Lakers, London Lions is based at the Copper Box, a 2012 London Olympics venue. The investment has brought a financial boost, but also a considerable increase in moral to the team. They are currently one of the strongest teams in the league, having achieved second place, and they are hoping to continue their successes in the play-offs beginning in May.
According to the coach of London Lions, Vince Macaulay, the investment has brought many benefits to the team: “We have had the resources and focus to professionalise our organisation on many fronts. The way we treat our players has become more overarching, by that I mean we can look after them better as professionals in terms of living conditions, daily meals home and on the road, making more training time valuable on a daily basis and more Medical Support. This means they feel appreciated and the same as professionals anywhere in the world.”
Macaulay also believes that the investment is important for the reputation of the team. He expressed that “social media wise and engagement wise we have been able to step the brand up to be a major face in London.”
London Lions is proof of the potential of British Basketball to improve itself and become a more popular sport. It still remains a very localised sport, with many teams only having fans in their areas, but with some support and investments, it can become internationally renowned.
