WALKER TO CHAIR BBL

Sir Rodney Walker is to become the new chair of the British Basketball League.

A businessman with a vast CV of sporting roles, Walker has previously served as chairman of UK Sport and World Snooker as well as roles in rugby league.

He is also currently the figurehead of the London Marathon Charitable Trust and a trustee of Wembley National Stadium in London.

“I am pleased to take on this role at an exciting time for the sport of basketball in the UK,” Walker said.

“Basketball has a global appeal, and one of the highest participation rates among team sports in the UK, and it is a great time to help and broaden its commercial appeal.

“The recently announced media rights deal by the BBL with the BBC is a step in the right direction, and I am sure there is more to follow. We have also seen new dedicated venues come on stream, or are in planning, so that is another important piece in the puzzle.

“I now want to work on behalf of the elite BBL basketball clubs to take the sport forward.

“It is important that the sport works together to take advantage of the undoubted opportunities and I look forward to working with the recently formalized British Basketball Federation to take the sport to the next level.”

Walker steps into the void left by the untimely death of Ed Percival last year and will face the task of coming up with a unified strategy for the league which will be asked to reform itself ahead of talks with the incoming British Basketball Federation on a new operating licence to start from 2017.

“He brings immense experience to the role, and the broadest knowledge of the whole of the UK sporting environment,” BBL Chief Operating Officer Andy Webb said.

“With a number of new commercial deals being put in place, it is important we have the right platform in place to take advantage of these opportunities, and I am certain Sir Rodney will be instrumental in guiding the BBL to success.”