NBA London Game 2019 to feature regular season game between Washington Wizards and New York Knicks
LONDON — The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) announced today that the NBA London Game 2019 will feature a regular-season game between the Washington Wizards and the New York Knicks at The O2 on Thursday, Jan. 17.
Tickets for the game will go on sale in the autumn. Fans can register their interest in tickets and gain access to presale information and more by visiting www.NBA.com/London.
The Wizards’ roster currently features All-Star guards Bradley Beal and John Wall, who last season led the Wizards in points and assists, respectively, as well as Polish center Marcin Gortat. The Knicks’ roster currently features Latvian forward Kristaps Porzingis, French point guard Frank Ntilikina, guard Tim Hardaway Jr. and newly appointed head coach David Fizdale.
The game will be broadcast by the NBA’s broadcast partners across Europe, the Middle East and Africa and on NBA League Pass International.
The NBA London Game 2019 will mark the league’s ninth regular-season game in London and the Knicks’ third game in the capital, having played regular-season games against the Detroit Pistons in 2013 and the Milwaukee Bucks in 2015. The Wizards will be playing their first game in the UK. All eight previous regular-season NBA games in London sold-out.
In addition to the oncourt action, the NBA London Game 2019 will feature a variety of interactive fan activities, NBA Cares community outreach initiatives and Jr. NBA basketball programming that will bring the NBA experience to fans in London.
The NBA London Game 2019 will be supported by a full roster of marketing partners, including Foot Locker, Gatorade, Nike, SAP and Tissot with additional partners to be announced in the coming months.
Fans in the UK can find more NBA information at NBA.com/UK, and on Facebook (NBA UK) and Twitter (@NBAUK). Fans can also purchase all the latest Knicks and Wizards merchandise at NBAStore.eu and at The O2 on game night.
Executive and Player Quotes:
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver:
“We’ve been playing regular-season match-ups in London for nearly a decade, and over that time the games and the surrounding festivities have grown into the equivalent of an NBA All-Star experience transported to Europe. Fans and partners from across the continent come to celebrate basketball and enjoy the excitement and experience of an NBA game.”
NBA EME Senior Vice President and Managing Director Benjamin Morel:
“The excitement of the NBA returns to London next January as we welcome back the New York Knicks and host the Washington Wizards for the first time. Bringing regular-season NBA games to London has become a staple of the sports calendar and is testament to the popularity of our league that fans from across Europe will descend on The O2 for another great game.”
AEG Vice President of Sports Gael Caselli:
“Playing host to a regular-season NBA game is a huge privilege for us and has become a cornerstone event in our sporting calendar. With its unrivalled reputation, The O2 is the perfect venue and we look forward to welcoming our NBA friends each year. I know the 2019 clash between the Washington Wizards and the New York Knicks will be another unmissable game.”
Washington Wizards guard John Wall:
“It will be an honor to represent the Washington Wizards organization as we play our first game in the UK. I look forward to connecting with our fans in London and using the experience to further bond as a team.”
New York Knicks guard Tim Hardaway Jr.:
“I am excited to return to London. We had a great experience during our last visit in 2015 playing in front of passionate fans and are looking forward to another trip overseas.”
About the NBA
The NBA is a global sports and media business built around four professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the NBA G League and the NBA 2K League. The NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2017-18 season featured 108 international players from a record 42 countries and territories. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 1.5 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.
About The O2
The O2 is the world’s most popular music and entertainment venue and was named 2018 Pollstar “International Venue of the Year” for the tenth time. In addition to the arena, The O2 is also home to indigo at The O2, exhibition spaces, an 11-screen Cineworld complex, Up at The O2 – an experience that allows visitors to walk across the roof of The O2, the 12-lane boutique Hollywood Bowl; and The Avenue, which features 26 bars and restaurants.
