2011 London sporting event rundown: busiest sports year in a decade will boost business tourism

6 January 2011 by Tom Hall

Visit London says business tourism will get a boost as the capital hosts over 30 major sporting events in 2011, testing Olympic venues in what will be its busiest sporting year for over a decade.

2011 London sporting event rundown: busiest sports year in a decade will boost business tourism

Boosting business

As the city prepares for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the capital will host a plethora of sporting events, including the World Badminton Championships in Wembley Arena (8-14 August) and the ITU World Triathlon London (6-7 August) which will take place in and around Hyde Park.

Visit London director of business tourism Tracy Halliwell said that the sporting calendar will attract businesses from across the globe:

"Whether it’s hosting a corporate box to watch the first-ever NBA regular-season game in Europe at The O2, to holding a team building event around the Badminton World Championships in August.

"There will also be a huge range of Olympic test events taking place around the city in 2011 which will offer opportunities to see world-class athletes trying out Olympic venues a year before the games - all in all these events will create a really exciting buzz around the city."

Shooting hoops

Another major coup for London is the first ever NBA Season Games to take place outside of North America. The games will take place in the O2 Arena on the 4 and 5 March when the New Jersey Nets play the Toronto Raptors.

On 28 May the UEFA Champions League Final, which will take place at Wembley Stadium. An eight-day Champions Festival fan experience in Hyde Park is planned around the event.

Following this winter's retention of the Ashes in Australia, cricket fans will also be able to see the England team in action against Sri Lanka and India at the Oval and at Lords.

Old favourites

Meanwhile, repeat sporting events such as the NFL, ATP Tennis, the London Marathon and The Boat Race (Oxford vs. Cambridge) will gather large crowds.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "2011 promises to be another jam-packed year for major events in the capital, with 12 months of thrilling sporting action to look forward to. Almost any day of the week London is home to an astonishing variety of sport at all levels, and this exciting programme will see some of the biggest names competing at the very highest level right here on our doorstep. It sets the scene in top notch style as we build up to 2012."

January

16 December 2010 - 3 January 2011 - World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace

19: International Netball – England v New Zealand (part of a three game series), The O2

30: Hockey Super Sixes – The Finals, Wembley Arena

February

12: 6 Nations Rugby - England v Italy, Twickenham Stadium

26: 6 Nations Rugby - England v France, Twickenham Stadium

March

4: NBA Season Games (first time in London), The O2

13: 6 Nations Rugby - England v Scotland, Twickenham Stadium

27: Newham London Run, Stratford and the Olympic Park

26: The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, River Thames, Putney to Mortlake