Shorts: London Major Events, Wheelchair Basketball, London Mavericks

London has delivered a £230m economic boost through six major sporting events hosted in 2024, according to new data from City Hall and Think Beyond.

Almost 500,000 fans attended events including the UEFA Champions League Final at Wembley Stadium, the NFL London Games at Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur Stadiums, the MLB London Series at London Stadium, the London E-Prix at ExCeL London, and the London Athletics Meet at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, attracting over 200 million global viewers.

The economic impact has been driven by organiser, spectator, and attendee spending, with the NFL alone contributing more than £600m since 2007. Alongside economic benefits, grassroots initiatives have engaged thousands of young Londoners through the NFL Foundation UK and MLB’s First Pitch programme.

The capital will host further major tournaments including UEFA EURO 2028 and the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final at Twickenham Stadium, expected to break the world attendance record for a women’s rugby match. London has also been included in the UK’s confirmed bid for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2035.

The UK Government has invested over £8 million in Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 as London prepares to host major women’s tournaments across rugby, football, cricket, tennis, netball, hockey, basketball, and athletics next year.

British Wheelchair Basketball (BWB) has renewed its partnership with travel and events management company ATPI Sport Travel for a further four years.

ATPI will continue as the governing body’s official travel partner, providing travel planning and logistical support for BWB’s GB teams as they compete internationally.

The renewal follows a previous four-year term during which ATPI Sport Travel provided travel arrangements for the men’s and women’s GB squads at major competitions, including the 2022 IWBF World Championships in Dubai and the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, managing travel arrangements through specialist services.

Looking ahead, ATPI Sport Travel will support the GB teams through the next four-year Paralympic cycle towards LA 2028. This will include managing travel arrangements for multiple training camps and international competitions.

Justine Baynes, CEO, British Wheelchair Basketball, said, “Travel is significantly more challenging for disabled people, with accessibility requirements adding layers of complexity to every single journey. Therefore, the expertise and support ATPI provides are invaluable in navigating some of these challenges, allowing our teams to travel efficiently and focus entirely on competing at the highest level.”

Netball club London Mavericks have appointed Shruti Saujani to their board as part of the club’s focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Saujani previously worked at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) where she led the “Dream Big Desi Women” initiative, recruiting over 2,000 South Asian women into volunteer roles. She contributed to the ECB’s South Asian Action Plan and worked on The Hundred competition.

Currently, Saujani serves as Senior Lead for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at The Football Association (FA) within FA Education, focusing on building a more representative coaching workforce and embedding inclusive practices.

Saujani is also a trustee for the Miss Kicks Foundation and has previously held trustee positions with Cricket Builds Hope and the Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket Foundation. She was named a “Next Gen Leader” in sport in 2021, a “Rising Star for Diversity” in 2022, and one of the “50 Leading Lights” in 2020.

London Mavericks stated the appointment supports their aims to improve netball’s reach and access, remove barriers to participation, and foster an inclusive community as the sport moves towards professionalisation.

Olivia Hall, Co-Owner of London Mavericks, said, “With Shruti’s support, her passion and experience we want to foster a community that is more inclusive than ever and be intentional and accountable for how we achieve this.”

Shruti Saujani, London Mavericks Board Member, said, “Sport has the power to shape identity, build belonging, and break down barriers but only if everyone feels seen and supported.

“I’m looking forward to working alongside this inspiring team to champion equity, create inclusive spaces, and ensure that every person, on and off the pitch, feels they truly belong as part of the London Mavericks.”

Sports technology company Kitman Labs has partnered with Biwako Seikei Sport College

The Japanese university will deploy Kitman Labs’ iP: Intelligence Platform, using its Performance Medicine and Performance Optimisation solutions across 11 sports divisions. This includes its football and basketball teams competing in leagues such as the Kansai Student League.

The platform aims to integrate performance, medical, and training data into a single system. This provides shared intelligence for practitioners, coaches, and students to enhance collaboration and inform decision-making. It will also serve as a university-wide sports management system and learning tool, offering students experience in data-driven athletic development.

Biwako Seikei Sport College becomes Kitman Labs’ second university partner in Japan, following the launch of the Intelligence Platform at Teikyo University.

Stephen Smith, CEO and Founder of Kitman Labs, said, “The implementation of the Intelligence Platform will transform the university’s existing systems into a state-of-the-art data and analytics platform – one that not only unifies all sports divisions but also empowers practitioners, coaches, and students with the insights needed to enhance student athlete health, training, and performance.”

Kitman Labs works with numerous governing bodies, leagues, and teams globally, including organisations in the NFL, NBA, NWSL, MLS, and Premier League.

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