The Uk's Summer of Sport

Think of Summer in the UK and the sporting calendar will always feature in the conversation. Tradition is aplenty, eyes are drawn, and the attention of the world frequently visits the summer’s sporting programme.

The team at Word on the Street, a UK Event and Destination Management Company have had a brainstorm on some of their favourite annual events and those which they are most excited about.

If you are looking to build a sporting occasion into your incentive or hosting hospitality around one of the UK’s sporting events then read about some of the biggest stages and get in touch with the team.

Annual Sporting Traditions

There are too many annual tournaments to cover them all in full detail. We have picked out three of our favourite sporting stalwarts below. As always, the summer of 2020 will include: The FA Cup which will take place at Wembley in May, England’s cricket team will welcome the West Indies, Pakistan and Australia for matches this summer and in July the British leg of the Grand Prix will be in full force at Silverstone and Golf’s Open will be heading to Royal St Georges in Kent.

If you are looking for some of the more traditional options, then check out the famous Boat Race along the Thames between Oxford and Cambridge Universities or further down the river later on in the summer you will find the Henley Regatta which was first held in 1839.

Not only is Royal Ascot one of the pinnacles of the British Horse Racing calendar but it is also a major event in the British social calendar. Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II has a keen interest in horse racing and is a highly knowledgeable owner who has had some notable wins at Ascot.  A keen horsewoman, Her Majesty often rides herself, despite being in her nineties. The Queen is always spotted at Royal Ascot amongst other members of the Royal Family and the carriage procession to mark the family’s arrival at the racecourse is not to be missed.

The oldest tennis tournament in the World and the third grand slam of the year is Wimbledon. The Championships run across two weeks of the year at the beginning of July and are some of the hottest tickets in town. People camp overnight and queue for hours, hoping to be lucky enough to secure the tickets released each morning. The Championships may be the oldest, however, the All English Lawn Tennis Club where they are hold is constantly evolving. The two main showcase courts now have retractable roofs as well as new hospitality areas, media and player facilities.

Following the 2012 Olympics, London’s leg of the Diamond League Athletics was transformed as part of the Olympic Legacy. Each summer, the London Stadium is transformed back to an athletics arena and hosts the Anniversary Games featuring athletics and para athletics. Some of the World’s greatest athletes return to the home of the 2012 Olympics and re capture the hearts of spectators.

2020 Specials

Having sold out and been a resounding success, the London Stadium will be transformed into Europe’s largest ballpark for the second year in a row. Major League Baseball will be returning this summer with the St Louis Cardinals taking on the Chicago Cubs this June.

For the first time in the competition’s 60-year history the European Football Championships (Euros) will be held across the continent with a total of 12 host cities. As well as England’s group games, the semi-finals and the final will be held at Wembley this June/July.

2020 is a big year for skateboarding with a new dawn for the sport. The 2020 Summer Olympics are set to take inspiration from their Winter partner and welcome the extreme. The inclusion of skateboarding in the world’s biggest sporting event is set to take its stock to new levels. The last opportunity to qualify for the inaugural games will come at the World Championships of the Skate Street League and will be held at London’s Copper Box this May.

And now for something completely different

Ever since the 2004 blockbuster, the sport of Dodgeball has had a revival. This year sees the 9^th edition of the WDBF Dodgeball World Championships which will be heading to Glasgow in September. The current World Champions, USA will be competing against the rest of the 48 top-ranked teams to take away this year’s trophy!

If any of the above has piqued your interest and you would like to know more, get in touch with the Word on the Street team, we would be happy to advise.