TFO Sports engaged to aid London Bowl vision

The London Bowl project, which aims to deliver the UK’s largest arena, has appointed US venture capital and private equity company TFO Sports as a strategic capital partner.

TFO Sports has been brought in for the foundation phase of the project, which was initially unveiled last month under the working title of the London Colosseum.

TFO Sports will support the project through its initial phases, helping to fund and shape the technical, commercial and investment work required to move it forward.

These initial phases will focus on feasibility, governance, capital planning, strategic investor engagement and the development of the preferred delivery structure for the project.

Olympic Park setting

The 25,000-seat facility would take the crown of Co-op Live in Manchester as the UK’s largest arena. The venue has been proposed by a consortium comprised of property development and public consultancy business Jericho Estates, sports and venues advisory group Torch Sports, CHYBIK + KRISTOF Architects and charitable organisation Peacock Gym.

Positioned as the capital’s most ambitious multi-sport project since the 2012 London Olympics, the venue has been earmarked for land situated at the heart of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London.

Stakeholders said the arena has been designed with a view to be anchored by a potential London franchise in the proposed NBA Europe league. NBA Europe is the joint venture being drawn up by the National Basketball Association and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

Along with basketball, the new arena is also being developed with a view to hosting major boxing events.

Flexible design

Designed by CHYBIK + KRISTOF, the project features a flexible configuration to suit varying event capacities and requirements – from an intimate esports setup to a 25,000-seat boxing or basketball layout. The ambitious development will integrate a multifunctional tower containing a hotel, residences, and community spaces.

The project also establishes a link between elite professional competition and grassroots athlete development. The main 25,000-seat arena will be directly connected to a new Academy – a purpose-built development of two venues, each with a 3,000-seat capacity, and a training campus.

This secondary site will house a dedicated basketball school, the historic Peacock Boxing Gym & Academy, and an international esports training campus.

TFO Sports is seeking to build a balanced portfolio that combines growth platforms with core target verticals. Sports venues and training facilities is one of the company’s focus areas.

The London Bowl said in a statement: “The appointment marks an important early milestone for the London Bowl as it moves from concept into a more formal foundation and capital planning phase.

“Together, the London Bowl and TFO Sports share a clear ambition: to help create a new landmark destination for London, built for world-class sport, entertainment, culture and live experiences.”