Events

The O2 to welcome US basketball team ahead of Paris 2024

Featured image credit: The O2

The US men’s basketball team will head to The O2 in London to play two games in the lead-up to next summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.

The games against South Sudan on July 20 and reigning FIBA World Cup champion Germany on July 22 will form part of the 2024 USA Basketball Showcase. The trip will mark the team’s first visit to London since winning the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics.

The games will be hosted in partnership between USA Basketball and ticketing company TEG. Tickets for the games will go on sale on Friday.

To start its Olympic preparation, the US team will hold a training camp in Las Vegas. The Olympics will take place in Paris from July 26 to August 11.

Jim Tooley, chief executive of USA Basketball, said: “USA Basketball is looking forward to the excitement of an Olympic year and the opportunity to take the USA Basketball Showcase to Las Vegas and London. Facing South Sudan and Germany will provide optimal training opportunities as we prepare to defend our gold medal in Paris and we are thrilled to host them next summer.”

Geoff Jones, TEG Group chief executive, added: “TEG is delighted to be partnering with USA Basketball to promote the USA men’s national team games in London. Anytime the USA plays it is a night to remember. These games at the O2 Arena will be no different. I urge all basketball fans to get in early.”

In other news, it has been revealed that this year’s Major League Baseball series in London generated nearly £53m (€62m/$66m) in impact for the capital’s economy.

Some 110,000 tickets were sold for the two back-to-back matches between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs. Of this total, 21,000 tickets were bought from fans in the US.

Sports marketing agency Two Circles carried out an impact study following the two games at London Stadium on June 24-25. A survey was completed by more than 6,200 fans over the two days.

Head to our sister site TheTicketingBusiness.com for the full story.

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