The London Lions Basketball Club has announced its ambition to develop a world-class, purpose-built basketball stadium in the capital.
A new state-of-the-art venue would serve as the long-term home for elite basketball in London and provide a platform for top-tier competition while fostering grassroots development and expanding access to the sport for communities across the city.
The proposals include plans to create a cutting-edge training and game-day environment for elite athletes, including the London Lions men’s and women’s teams.
The venue would serve as a hub for youth programmes, community engagement initiatives and talent development, ensuring that basketball continues to grow at all levels in the capital. It would also play a part in the mayor’s commitment for greener spaces and reach aspirations towards sustainable building.
With the Lions aiming to re-enter top European competition and the mayor’s desire to bring more NBA games and activities to the capital, a new stadium would put London in a prime position, helping to make the city a premier global destination for basketball.
The plans follow a recent commitment from the mayor to set up a first-of-its-kind basketball taskforce to grow the game in London and come after new figures showed more than 1.5 million people play basketball weekly across the UK, making it the country’s second most popular team sport.
The mayor has welcomed the plans, which are aligned with his taskforce and wider ambitions for the development of basketball London. City Hall are working alongside the Lions and providing technical expertise to identify a site and support the club.
Tomas Okmanas, co-founder of Tesonent, London Lions owner, said: “London Lions has the potential to build a basketball stronghold in Europe, powered by incredible local talent and strong ties to a rapidly growing fan community. The Lions have the appetite to compete – and win – against the best in Europe, and we are thrilled to support them on this journey.
“Such ambitions and goals require a dedicated top-tier venue. Today we are announcing our intention to build a fitting new home for the Lions to usher in a bright new era for the club and the city.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan: “London is now the sporting capital of the world and I am thrilled to support the London Lions as they pursue their ambitious vision to establish a state-of-the-art basketball facility in our city.
“This venue can be a major new hub for basketball in the capital, creating positive opportunities for young people, attracting new fans to the sport and hosting more events which would provide a significant boost to the economy.
“We are dedicated to helping the London Lions secure their long-term home as we work together to build a better, more prosperous London for everyone.”
London Lions CEO Lenz Balan said: “Our ambition is to put London firmly on the global basketball map and this project is a major step in that journey. We want to create a world-class purpose-built home for elite hoops and a place where the community can come together to experience the energy and passion of basketball at the highest level.”
The new London Lions owner, Tesonet, co-founded by Tomas Okmanas, saved the club from the threat of extinction in summer 2024. It has expressed support and enthusiasm to match the club’s ambition in building a new venue. The technology business accelerator that bootstrapped the Lithuania-based cybersecurity startup Nord Security, now valued at $3B, has demonstrated its willingness to provide the club with the required funding if all the necessary construction requirements move ahead.
Tesonet already owns a stake in BC Zalgiris, a club regularly selling out its EuroLeague games in the 15,000-seat Zalgirio Arena. Zalgiris has become a prime example of how basketball clubs should be managed in Europe and remains one of the few self-sustaining and profitable teams in the EuroLeague.
The Lions are among Britain’s most decorated clubs. They have won multiple British Basketball League Championships and have competed in EuroCup Basketball (the second-tier European competition).
Purpose-built arenas make for better games and better fan experiences: fans are closer to the action, they have different sightlines to improve viewing experience, they can maintain a louder and more intense atmosphere, and specially designed scoreboards and tech improve the game experience. They can also have specific facilities for training, performance and for bringing on the next generation of stars, as well as helping to attract players.
The Lions will continue to play at the Copper Box Arena while the plans for the new stadium are moved forward. More details on the development timeline and location will be announced in the coming months.
