The NBA In-Season Tournament has a new name—and a notable new title partner. Starting next year, it will be known as the Emirates NBA Cup, part of a multiyear global marketing partnership between the league and Dubai’s Emirates airline.
As part of the deal, Emirates will also appear on the league’s first commercial referee jersey patches for both NBA and WNBA games. Those ads will debut at next week’s NBA All-Star Game. Emirates signage will also become a staple at nationally televised NBA games beginning with the ASG. Financial terms of the tie-up have not been disclosed.
“Emirates is a world-class airline that shares our commitment to engaging fans around the world in new and creative ways,” NBA deputy commissioner and COO Mark Tatum said in a statement. “As basketball continues to be recognized as the fastest growing sport globally, this collaboration will showcase the excitement of the NBA to the millions of people who fly Emirates every year.”
The NBA opened the door to sovereign wealth funds as minority owners in late 2022. Last summer, the Qatar Investment Authority bought a passive stake in Washington Wizards and Capitals parent company Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
Emirates, which is controlled by the Dubai government’s principal investment arm, is no stranger to the sports sponsorship scene. It owns Arsenal FC’s stadium naming and front-of-shirt rights, has sponsorship agreements with three of tennis’ four Grand Slam events, and supports one of cycling’s top teams—UAE Team Emirates—among other relationships. In total, Emirates is a sponsor across 24 international sports properties.
The UAE’s government has seen criticism for curtailing free expression, discriminating against women and not effectively enforcing laws preventing forced labor. UAE law also criminalizes same-sex relations.
“The values of the NBA go with us wherever we go,” Tatum told the StarTribune last year when asked about the country’s record. “It doesn’t mean that we agree with all the laws and policies in the more than 200 countries and territories where we do business. We don’t. But what we make sure is whenever we do an event in a particular market, that the values of the NBA, that those travel with us: the values of diversity, inclusion and of equity.”
The partnership will also include NBA content being made available during Emirates flights. The NBA has grown its relationship with the United Arab Emirates—a federation of seven emirates, including Dubai, in the southeast of the Arabian peninsula. The league has played four preseason games in Abu Dhabi across 2022 and 2023 as part of a five-season agreement. It has also supported youth development programs in the area. According to a YouGov survey, there are slightly more than three million NBA fans in the country of 9.4 million.
“When you talk about Abu Dhabi, they do it right, they have class and this is something for the world to see,” Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said while his team was there.
The NBA In-Season Tournament debuted this season, a league initiative to increase the stakes of early-season games while also creating a new platform for league sponsors and media partners. The Los Angeles Lakers won the first NBA Cup in December in front of an average of 4.58 million viewers on ABC and ESPN2. The event’s future home will likely be decided in the coming months as the NBA prepares to sign new media rights agreements.
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