Six out 10 of ethnic minority Brits do not feel truly represented across the full spectrum of UK sport, and a third say racism prevents them supporting or partaking in sports, a new study has revealed.
Sport has long been a vehicle for community cohesion which transcends race, language and socioeconomic backgrounds. Yet, a disconcerting 59% of people from ethnic minority backgrounds reported that being a minority and British is not truly represented across the full spectrum of UK sport, revealed a study commissioned by the UK’s premier basketball club, The London Lions.
Additionally, concerns regarding racial and verbal abuse are still prominent, to the point where a staggering 30% say past experiences of racism prevent them from supporting or partaking in that particular sport. This sobering statistic is something private investment firm 777 Partners – who support industries such as sport, aviation and entertainment – is looking to overhaul; having invested £37m to date into the British Basketball League and The London Lions.
Concerns among fans from an ethnic minority background aren’t helped by the lack of representation they see in their favourite sports. The same study has shown that 31% of people from ethnic minorities think that when they watch UK sport, they hardly see faces that look like theirs, dissuading them from wanting to attend or partake in sports. This comes amidst well-publicised reports of the racial abuse received by ethnic minority players after a “bad performance”, creating an environment in which many can understandably feel hesitant to enter the UK sporting arena.
INVESTMENT IN MINORITY SPORTS
777 Partners’ continued investment of close to £40million into the British Basketball League and The London Lions in particular, reflects a commitment to supporting and amplifying the diversity and inclusivity of basketball within the UK. The landmark investment has helped achieve an unprecedented benchmark of growth across the sport, from viewership figures across the board for British Basketball a 217% increase in last season’s viewership across YouTube and Sky Sports. In person attendance has also undergone major growth, with average ticket sales in the 2021/22 season sitting at 461.7, compared with average attendance thus far this season at a much improved 2197.1.
A 2019-20 Sport England survey found that among Britons who play basketball, 47% are from non-white backgrounds — far more than other sports, which top out at around 30% in that metric. As the leading investment fund in minority sports, 777 are driving the growth and development of the sport, paving the way for creating a more welcoming and equitable environment for fans and potential future stars of various backgrounds.
SETTING INCLUSION STANDARDS
Organisations in the UK will be hard-pressed to find better examples than Basketball England. The governing body of the British Basketball League has been setting the standard for inclusivity, ranking first out of 55 Sport England/UK Sport-funded National Governing Bodies (NGBs) in a recent survey. The importance of funding cannot be downplayed in this improvement and its continuation is paramount to the continued growth of diversity and inclusion British basketball.
“Our commitment to this mission is unwavering, having invested more into British basketball than anyone else in its history, amounting to tens of millions of pounds. This financing has seen the dawn of a new era for the sport, with record crowds descending upon BBL games and The Lions becoming the first-ever British side to qualify for the EuroCup,” stated Adam Weiss, Vice President of 777 Partners. “Sport is a universal language, uniting communities and transcending barriers of race and culture and we want to be a beacon of change for those who feel underrepresented. Inclusivity is not just a moral obligation, but a catalyst for the success and vibrancy of a sporting league, with British basketball and The London Lions at the forefront of this growth. Continued funding remains pivotal to this as we look to forge a path where all voices are not just heard but celebrated.”
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