Earlier this year, the NBA signed a massive sponsorship deal with Emirates Airline, based less than 100 miles down highway E11 in Dubai. The NBA Cup, the in-season tournament, will carry the brand’s name. It’s part of a broader investment in pro basketball from the ruling family of Dubai, including the recent purchase of a EuroLeague team that could eventually play its home games in the UAE. Last year, the Qatar Investment Authority became the first sovereign wealth fund to buy into an NBA team when it purchased roughly 5% of the Washington Wizards’ parent company. Experience Abu Dhabi, the Department of Culture and Tourism’s marketing wing, already has a multiyear sponsorship deal in place with the Celtics and has been in discussions to become the jersey patch sponsor for the New York Knicks, sources said.
by Hoops Hype