The Boat Race Company has today confirmed it has teamed up with Premier League football club, Fulham FC, to provide spectators of The Gemini Boat Race 2024 with a fan zone at the club’s historic Craven Cottage stadium.
The fan zone will be located underneath Craven Cottage’s Riverside Stand, providing hundreds of spectators with the perfect viewing spot of one of the world’s most famous annual sporting events.
The Gemini Boat Race 2024 takes place in Putney on Saturday 30th March – with the Women’s Race starting at 2:46pm and the Men’s Race at 3:46pm – renewing an intense rivalry which stretches back nearly 200 years.
Providing free access to watch the races unfold on the River Thames, The Boat Race is regularly attended by over 250,000 spectators on the riverbank and watched by millions more on television.
This will now include a fan zone at one of London’s most iconic football clubs, whose home was built 128 years ago and sits alongside the 4.25-mile Championship Course between Putney and Mortlake.
Oxford University Women approaching Craven Cottage during The Gemini Boat Race 2023
As part of the collaboration, fans will be able to enjoy a stunning view of the races from the concourse, along with food and drinks from the vendors underneath the Riverside Stand. Fans will be able to interact with a range of Boat Race partners who are activating in the space while also watching the races unfold via screens throughout the space.
The collaboration represents a commitment from The Boat Race Company and its local partners to provide London’s ultimate ‘Party on the River’ experience, where families, friends, sports fans and passers-by can join rowing enthusiasts, student supporters and Boat Race alumni to watch an incredible day of free sport in a carnival atmosphere.
Chair of the Board of The Boat Race Company, Siobhan Cassidy, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with Fulham FC to provide Boat Race spectators with a fan zone at Craven Cottage, one of London’s most instantly recognisable football grounds.
“The Riverside Stand will be the perfect viewing space for avid Boat Race fans and passers-by alike, with a raft of refreshments and entertainment to be enjoyed as part of our ‘Party on the River’.
“We can’t wait to welcome people from the local area of visitors to Craven Cottage to enjoy an exciting day of free sport, watching this world-famous event from a fellow London institution.”
Alistair Mackintosh, CEO of Fulham FC, said: “We are delighted to be part of an official Fan Zone that connects Bishops Park to Craven Cottage for this iconic annual event. Boat Race Day is an important date in the sporting calendar. Its prestige and history are perfectly synonymous with Fulham Football Club and our local community. We look forward to welcoming spectators to a fantastic day.”
Photos: Benedict Tufnell/Row360