From court to community: government shoots and scores with NBA collaboration
Government and NBA announce historic commitment to grow basketball in England
- £10 million joint investment will take game to communities up and down the country
- New collaboration shows strength of cultural ties between UK and US following State Visit
Basketball fans old and new will be boosted by a £10 million investment in the recreational game, as the Government and NBA today announce comprehensive plans to get more people active and involved in one of the UK’s fastest-growing sports.
The Government is joining with one of the world’s most recognisable brands to develop courts for local communities across England and provide under-represented groups - such as women and girls, people with disabilities and ethnic minorities - with more opportunities to play.
As part of the Government’s £400 million Community Sport Facilities Programme, £5 million will be committed to basketball in 2026/27, with funded sites to include a multi-sport offering so they are accessible and appealing to get as many people active as possible. This is a new approach for the UK Government, investing beyond football-led grassroots facilities under this programme for the first time.
This dedicated funding for basketball will be matched by the NBA, who will invest £5 million through to 2028 in expanding grassroots programmes that already reach more than 50,000 young people across the UK each year.
The announcement follows a series of partnerships unveiled during the State Visit to the UK by The President and First Lady of the United States, highlighting the close sporting and cultural ties between the nations, including a major tech prosperity deal that could bring billions of pounds of investment to the UK.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver met at No10 Downing Street in July and have agreed to work together on the growth of basketball in the UK and potential future investment opportunities around NBA Europe.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
Basketball is booming in Britain – and this investment will help take it to the next level, opening up the game to thousands more people right across the country.
This is about more than sport – it’s about community, inclusion and inspiring the next generation to find their spark.
I’m proud that the UK is teaming up with one of the world’s most iconic sporting brands to deliver real change for our people and our communities.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:
Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the UK and provides a powerful way to bring communities together and get active.
With the NBA’s support, we’ll grow participation and break down barriers so everyone can access this incredible sport, keeping communities healthy and inspiring the next generation,
With the NBA returning to the UK in January, there’s never been a better time to invest in the sport and turn young peoples’ hoop dreams into reality.
Basketball sits behind only football as the second-most popular team sport for young people in England, with 1.15 million playing on a weekly basis, while its diverse reach has seen NBA fandom among UK adults grow by 24% in the last three years alone.
The collaboration comes as the UK prepares to host regular-season NBA games for the first time since 2019. The matches - in London in January 2026 and Manchester in 2027 - could generate more than £100 million in economic impact to the UK, with both parties committed to exploring additional games in the future.
NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum said:
The UK Government shares our commitment to using basketball to drive socioeconomic development and teach the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle.
We thank them for their investment in facilities that will provide safe spaces for people of all backgrounds and abilities to learn and play the game, and we look forward to working more closely together in the years to come, including around the potential launch of a new pan-European league that would bring more world-class basketball to fans in the UK.
Today’s announcement was made during a visit by the Culture Secretary to the NBA’s flagship store on Oxford Street.
Beyond basketball, the Government has committed significant investment in both grassroots and elite sport as it delivers the Plan for Change, with the £400 million allocated for new and upgraded grassroots facilities across the UK accompanied by a £500 million investment in major sporting events.