All England Badminton Championships to remain at Birmingham up to 2021

The badminton courts at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham

The coveted Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships will stay at the National Indoor Arena (NIA) in Birmingham till 2021. The governing body of badminton in England issued a press release yesterday committing to keep the tournament at the venue that has hosted this marquee event since 1994. The NEC Group, which owns the NIA, is investing £26m to redevelop the venue and if plans hold, should host next year’s championships in the renewed facilities.

The huge sum of money is expected to turn the NIA into a modern venue that takes advantage of the waterfront with an expanded capacity from its existing 12,700 seats to accommodate more people, besides having retail and dining facilities that will help engage local communities throughout the year.

“We are delighted to announce that the NIA will play host to the Yonex All England. We have held the Championships in Birmingham since 1994 and the NIA is much loved by the world’s best players and fans alike,” said Adrian Christy, the Chief Executive of Badminton England.

“We are excited at what the redevelopment of the NIA will mean to our event. Badminton is a huge international sport – the global broadcast reach over the week of the event is over 315 million, generating outstanding exposure for both the venue and the city,” underlined Christy, speaking of the long-term benefits of staying with the venue.

He also hoped that “the wider partnership agreement will see the creation of a lasting legacy for the sport across Birmingham and the formation of new clubs as well as initiatives to promote badminton in schools and workplaces.”

The renewed facilities are also expected to offer improved accommodation and training facilities for the players before and during the events. With a busy calendar, the NIA has become a showpiece venue for the city of Birmingham. Naturally, the city council was delighted to note that the event will remain with the city for the next seven years.

“We have a clear aim to position Birmingham as a leading location for major sporting events, building on our rich and proud history,” said the deputy leader of the Birmingham City Council, Ian Ward. “This partnership means that world-class badminton will have a long-term presence in the city. It will hopefully inspire people to get involved with what is an incredibly fun and exciting sport – and will be a big boost for the local economy too.”

The managing director of the Arenas division of the NEC Group was excited about the opportunity to continue hosting the iconic event. Speaking of the agreement, Phil Mead said, “The NIA has a rich history of welcoming sporting events to Birmingham – we opened in 1991 with sports firmly in mind – and it has hosted the Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships for the past 20 years.”

“We are thrilled to be selected to continue this partnership through to 2021. The Yonex All England is one of the highlights of our sporting calendar,” added Mead. “Badminton England, the players and visitors alike will all benefit from the £26m redevelopment of the NIA from next year’s Championships.”