Matchroom Pioneers New Gym Concept

Four-time Olympic Champion Simone Biles is set to headline Matchroom Sport’s new “sportainment” event – Superstars of Gymnastics – at The O2 in London.

Saturday’s two-session event, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports and DAZN, will feature top names from the sport in an exhibition-style competition that will place an emphasis on flair, creative choreography, execution and engagement with the live crowd.

The concept is designed to deliver a more engaging fan and broadcaster proposition, moving away from the rules and points system that govern the Olympic form of the sport.

The Superstars event will go head-to-head with the UK stage of the FIG Gymnastics World Cup, organised by British Gymnastics at the Resorts World (formerly Genting) Arena in Birmingham.

Matchroom Sport is a former partner of British Gymnastics and helped to deliver the World Cup as a joint venture at London’s O2 in 2017.

Biles, who will both perform and participate in an all-star judging panel said: “We’ve never done anything like this before, so it was a chance to do something very different. Because it’s a showcase it means you can go out there and have a lot more fun.

“I am very excited to be here in London. It’s only my second time in London and I’ve never performed here, so it will be something new for me.”

Biles will be joined on the panel by British double Olympic Champion Max Whitlock, who added: “Events like this are what gymnastics has needed for a very long time. As a gymnast, for our sport we need to push it as far as we possibly can and our mission has always been to inspire the next generation.

“We are bringing something that hasn’t been seen before. The gymnasts have the freedom to perform anything they want to wow the crowd, and that might bring something you’ve never seen before; it is very exciting. Our sport has come on leaps and bounds and this is a way to continue that.”

Gymnastics is the latest sport to receive investment from Matchroom Sport, the sport event promotions company led by Barry and Eddie Hearn. The business is best known for its work in the sports of snooker and boxing and is also involved in pool, bowling, golf, fishing, darts, table tennis and poker.