Nba basketball back at the o2

By John Hill on April 3, 2008 8:59 AM |

Tagged with:

AMERICAN basketball will again be pitching up at The O2 this winter.

But could London-based basketball fans have a team of their own to support in the near future?

The North Greenwich arena will host the Miami Heat and New Jersey Nets on October 12 as part of the third National Basketball Association (NBA) Europe Live tour. The pre-season initiative will also feature games in Barcelona, Berlin and Paris.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics attracted a capacity crowd to The O2 for last year’s event, prompting NBA bosses to consider expanding the league into Europe within the next decade.

NBA commissioner David Stern said: “That’s something that can happen. We need the buildings. We need the increase in affinity in terms of television.
“And we need an economic model that works, but I think that in this real age of globalisation we are getting youngsters tuning in to our websites from all over the world following our sport, and it’s really fascinating to me to see the growth that can possibly come from that.”

Organisers have highlighted Greenwich’s O2 and The O2 World in Berlin as the type of venue that must be developed if the league is to put down roots in Europe. The O2’s owner, Anschutz Entertainment Group, has not ruled out the possibility of hosting a London team in a decade or so.

The company said it would “monitor the situation and see how popular basketball becomes in the UK before making a decision a few years down the line”.

The entertainment giant, which owns a stake in the Los Angeles Lakers franchise, is also keen to host the annual NBA Europe Live showcase for several years to come.

Chief executive Philip Beard said: “Last year’s sell-out NBA game proved that there is a huge appetite for this level of basketball in the UK.
“We’re thrilled they’re coming back this year with two new teams and I have no doubt that this will be an annual fixture in The O2’s sporting calendar.”

America’s ice hockey and American football leagues played regular season games in London last year, sparking debate about the feasibility of transatlantic leagues.

New Jersey Nets star Vince Carter said: “I think it can work, with NBA basketball growing globally.
“It’s just going to give other guys an opportunity to play at this level of basketball.”

Tickets for the London game went on sale on Friday (March 26) from The O2's website or on 0844 856 0202.