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28thJune 2013
Basketball to reach new heights at Copper Box Arena
London Lions & GLL announce major international contest
The summer season at the Copper Box Arena will get off to a ‘slam, dunk" start with the UK's premier basketball team, the London Lions, announcing an International match against leading US college side Iowa University on 14th August 2013.
This is the first time since the 2012 Olympic Games that two club teams will play at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and one of the first major sports event to be held at the Copper Box Arena after it re-opens under the management of charitable social enterprise GLL on 27th July 2013.
The Iowa team is one of the top college sides in the US. Players such as Aaron White, Eric May and Roy Devyn Marble are household names in their native country, typically playing to crowds of 15,400 at their home venue, the Carver-Hawkeye Arena. One Iowa squad member - Gabriel Olaseni is a native Londoner and the August match will be an opportunity for Gabriel to play in front of friends and family.
The 7,000-seat Copper Box Arena was known as the "box that rocks" during the London Olympics and looks set to become one of the leading indoor sporting venues in the country. It is now the home base for the London Lions, who are the first legacy team to take residence on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. This means that Londoners will have many seasons of top classnational and international basketball matches taking place on their doorstep.
Lions coach Vince Macaulay said: "We are delighted to have such a respected University as our first opponents at the Copper Box Arena, this is a storied programme that has produced terrific players for the NBA, it's just the kind of test we need to get the ball rolling for what promises to be an exciting time for Lions basketball but also for GB basketball."
Peter Bundey, GLL Deputy Managing Director said: I'm delighted with this curtain raiser to the London Lions season. It is a perfect start for the team and Copper Box Arena - bringing, high quality professional basketball to London. The Lions are great ambassadors for the sport and the Copper Box Arena is a fitting venue for them to inspire a new generation of fans young and old.
"We believe that through increasing awareness of and participation in the sport, we can work to ensure that basketball becomes one of the catalysts to get Londoners more active; so cementing a true Olympic legacy."
Dennis Hone, Chief Executive at the London Legacy Development Corporation added: "The Copper Box Arena will once again be the "box that rocks" this summer as the London Lions start their season playing one of America's top university teams. Last year we saw what a great atmosphere this venue can produce, it will be a fantastic place to watch London's only professional basketball team shoot some hoops. The game against Iowa is a really exciting way to get the season started and a great opportunity for people to come and experience sport back on the Park this summer. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is opening in phases, starting with the Copper Box and parts of the north Park. We are on track to deliver a fantastic new destination and a lasting legacy for east London and are looking forward to the full opening of the Park in the spring next year."
The Copper Box Arena in Hackney Wick is the first of the permanent legacy venues to open on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (27th July 2013).
Ticket prices for the London Lions vs Iowa University match will range from £9 to £42 and will be available for sale from www.ticketmaster.com from 28th June 2013. Season tickets to the London Lions matches at the Copper Box Arena are also available with prices starting at £110. Visit www.londonlionsbasketball.com for further information.
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Notes to the editor
*Figures provided by FIBA International Basketball Federation
London Lions is a professional basketball team based in London, who compete in the British Basketball League - the top level men's basketball league in the United Kingdom. The club has previously been based in Hemel Hempstead, Watfordand Milton Keynes prior to its re-location to London for the 2012-13 season. From the start of the 2013-14 season, the team will be using the Copper Box, originally built for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, as its home venue.
The Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team represents the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, as a member of the Big Ten Conference (the oldest division I college athletic conference in the US) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. They currently play in 15,400-seat Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
About the Copper Box Arena
The Copper Box Arena hosted the Handball and Modern Pentathlon Fencing during the Olympic Games and Goalball during the Paralympic Games. It is now being transformed into a new venue with flexible seating capacity and facilities for a wide range of indoor sports training and competitions as well as cultural and business events.
It will be one of the first legacy venues to re-open in July 2013 and is located in the west of the Park close to Hackney Wick station and near to the Press and Broadcast Centres.
The Arena will serve as a venue for a variety of indoor sports. The highly flexible design means it will be used for all levels of sports participation, from events to high performance training to community use.www.better.org.uk/copper_box
About GLL
GLL is a charitable social enterprise, created to manage community services and spaces. GLL oversees the management of over 100 leisure centres and 24 libraries across the UK. GLL is an employee-owned society and works in partnership with fifteen London boroughs, two city councils, four borough councils, six district councils and three associated partners, including the London Legacy Development Corporation on the operation of the Copper Box Arena and London Aquatics Centre in legacy mode. Other charitable partners, Freedom Leisure and Halo Leisure manage further leisure facilities across the South East of England and Bridgend, South Wales on behalf of GLL. www.gll.org
About LLDC
The London Legacy Development Corporation promotes and delivers physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and surrounding area, in particular by maximising the legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will begin to open from July 2013 and will be fully open from spring 2014, it will be a whole new part of the city to enjoy and will provide jobs and homes for east London.
For more information about the Legacy Corporation visit:www.londonlegacy.co.uk/about-us
For more information about Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park visit:www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk
For further press information contact:
Carole Pendle Lolly Marlborough
Pendle PR London Lions
On behalf of GLL tel: 07825567644
Tel: 07768462601 Email: lolly@londonlionsbasketball.com
Email: carole@pendlepr.com