London Basketball Association

What London Basketball Association does

The London Basketball Association (LBA) is a registered charity in England and Wales (no. 1164277), established in July 2012 and headquartered in London. It operates as a non-profit organisation whose stated mission is to advocate for regular participation in basketball by promoting the sport across London. The organisation delivers its work through four principal lines: community basketball activities (holiday programmes, weekly scrimmages, inclusive Safe Haven sessions, and women-only sessions under the Queens of Peckham banner); structured competitions (most prominently the Westminster league); workforce development via R.O.C (Referee, Official, Coach) certification courses delivered online through AllOfficials Learn and funded in part through a scholarship partnership with Black Prince Trust; and commercial hire-services supplying certified coaches, referees, table officials, and basketball freestylers to corporates and event organisers.

The LBA's core technology footprint is minimal and non-differentiated — Stripe for donation processing, TicketTailor for event ticketing, and the AllOfficials Learn learning platform for online certification delivery. The organisation has no proprietary software, AI/ML capabilities, patents, or data products. Its differentiation rests on a network of 30+ affiliated basketball clubs spanning boroughs from Brent and Camden to Lambeth and Waltham Forest, an inclusive programming model covering youth, adults, wheelchair athletes, individuals with learning disabilities, LGBTQ+ participants, and ethnic-minority women, and flagship programmes such as Court to Corporate (career transition) and the School League.

The revenue model is a hybrid typical of UK community charities: unrestricted income from individual and corporate donations, restricted grant funding from the Mayor of London, Sport England, BBC Children in Need, Jack Petchey Foundation, and Wembley National Stadium Trust; modest fee income from hire-services and event ticket sales; and a freemium pricing model for R.O.C courses (free under the LBA Scholarship Programme, with certified graduates earning up to £20/hour or £100/day). The LBA is governed by a Board of Trustees, operates with 11-50 employees, and has no parent company, subsidiaries, or institutional investors.

Name

London Basketball Association

Legal name

London Basketball Association

Website

https://thelba.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The London Basketball Association is a UK registered charity (no. 1164277) that delivers community basketball activities, competitions, R.O.C certification courses, and inclusive programmes across London boroughs, serving youth, adults, disabled, and minority participants through a network of 30+ affiliated clubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Basketball Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Amateur & Grassroots Sport Associations (Community/Youth Governing Orgs) (MPAKAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF), Youth & Amateur Sports Tournaments (MPAGAMAF)

Keywords

• Community basketball programs
• Sports charity services
• Basketball coaching certification
• Youth basketball leagues
• Inclusive sports development

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations: Charitable donations from individuals and organizations
2. Coach/Official Training and Certification: Revenue from R.O.C (Referee, Official, Coach) certification courses offered online and in-person
3. Service Fees: Fees for hiring certified coaches, referees, table officials, and basketball freestylers
4. Event Revenue: Revenue from events such as Summer Ball and Eat, Survivor Series tournaments

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The London Basketball Association is a registered charity that develops and delivers basketball across London through organized competitions (e.g., Westminster league), participation activities (holiday programs, weekly scrimmages, inclusive Safe Haven and women-only Queens of Peckham sessions), workforce certification (R.O.C courses for Referees, Table Officials, and Coaches), and hire services for certified coaches, referees, table officials, and basketball freestylers. Its flagship programs — School League, Court to Corporate, BOOST, and LBA Scholarships — extend the core product into education, career transition, and youth development.

Product overview

The London Basketball Association operates as a charitable organization running basketball participation and development programs across London. The core offerings include organized competitions (Westminster league), basketball activities (holiday programs, weekly sessions, Safe Haven inclusive sessions), and workforce development through R.O.C certification courses for referees, table officials, and coaches. Key programs include School League, Court to Corporate career transitions, BOOST development program, and LBA Scholarships. The organization also provides services to hire certified officials and basketball entertainers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LBA Activities Basketball participation programs including holiday activities, weekly sessions, Safe Haven sessions for people with learning disabilities, and Queens Of Peckham women-only sessions. For children, teenagers, and adults across London.
• Westminster Basketball Competition Organized basketball league competition (Westminster) including fixtures, tables, and finals, run in partnership with the City of Westminster. For basketball clubs and competitive adult and youth teams in London.
• R.O.C Certification Courses (Referee, Official, Coach) Certification programs for Referee, Table Official, and Coach qualifications with online and practical training components, offering pathways to paid work opportunities at up to £20/hour or £100/day. For individuals in London seeking basketball officiating or coaching careers.
• Hire Certified Coaches & Officials Service providing access to certified basketball coaches, referees, and table officials for hire. For event organizers, schools, and corporate clients seeking qualified personnel.
• Basketball Freestyler Hire Service Entertainment service providing basketball freestylers for events, parties, and corporate functions. For event organizers and corporate clients in London.
• School League (Flagship Programme) Basketball league program delivered in schools across London, embedding the sport within the education system. For school-age children and partner schools.
• Court to Corporate Career Transition Programme Career transition program helping athletes move from playing or officiating roles into corporate environments. For aspiring coaches, officials, and athletes seeking workforce pathways.
• BOOST Basketball Development Programme Benchmarked basketball skills development program for participants in LBA activities. For young players seeking structured skill progression.
• LBA Scholarships Scholarship program designed to empower talented individuals through basketball while fostering academic excellence. For young people in London seeking educational and sporting opportunity.
• Safe Haven Basketball Inclusive basketball sessions for individuals with learning disabilities, including female-only sessions. For people with disabilities and their families in London.

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• London YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for youth development through basketball, including joint 3x3 tournament programs.
• City of WestminstercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary local authority partner for competitions and basketball programs in Westminster area.
• Black Prince TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the free Referee and Coaching Qualification Programme Spring 2026.
• Everyone ActiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeisure center operator partnership for venue access and programming.
• SportedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity supporting community sports organizations with partnership resources.
• London SportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon sports collective partnership for sports development initiatives.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sported: UK charity supporting community sport organisations with resources, training and partnerships. Closely comparable as a peer and incumbent LBA partner, operating in the same community-sport-charity space.
• Greenhouse Sports: London-based charity using sport (including basketball) to empower young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Directly comparable: same city, similar charity model, sport-as-vehicle-for-social-outcomes positioning, and parallel school-based delivery.
• London Youth: Charity supporting youth organisations across London, with whom LBA already co-delivers 3x3 basketball. Comparable as a youth-focused London charity and direct delivery partner.
• StreetGames: UK charity using doorstep sport to engage disadvantaged young people. Comparable target audience, funding base (Sport England / BBC Children in Need), and volunteer-driven community delivery model.
• London Sport: London-wide sport collective working to make sport more accessible. Operates in the same geography, overlapping funder relationships, and same community-sport-development space as LBA.
• Access Sport: UK charity delivering inclusive community sport programmes to disadvantaged young people. Same charitable mission, similar volunteer- and grant-driven model, and overlapping inclusive-basketball-adjacent delivery.

Regional players

• Manchester Basketball Association: Regional basketball organising body serving Greater Manchester. Comparable organisational model to LBA but limited to a different UK metropolitan geography, illustrating both peer structure and LBA's expansion template.

Others

• Sport England: National sports funding and policy body. Functions primarily as a core LBA funder and ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor, but shapes the operating environment for community basketball in England.

Broad incumbents

• England Netball: National governing body for netball with strong school-league and community-delivery footprint. Comparable as a UK sport NGB competing for the same school time slots, volunteer base, and grant funding as LBA.
• Basketball England: National governing body for basketball in England. Comparable as the umbrella for the same sport the LBA serves; differs in scale and remit (national governance vs. local community delivery).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thelba
• YouTubeyoutube.com/LondonBBall
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheLBACharity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/london-basketball-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/thelba

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about London Basketball Association