Dubai-based Emirates airline has announced a multi-year global marketing partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA), making the airline the official global airline of the NBA.
Additionally, the collaboration makes Emirates the inaugural title partner of the NBA Cup, formerly called the NBA Season Tournament, as well as the first patch partner for NBA referee jerseys.
As the first major partner of the Emirates NBA Cup, the airline will be featured through a co-branded logo of the Emirates NBA Cup event, with planned co-branding promotion across the NBA's global social media community and signage in the stadium throughout the Emirates NBA Cup. Semifinal and championship matches starting next season.
The Emirates logo will also appear on all NBA referees' jerseys, beginning with the 2024 NBA All-Star Game taking place on Sunday, February 18.
Emirates will also enjoy a presence at other major league events, including as an NBA Crossover partner and as a presenting partner of the NBA Finals Legacy Project. The Emirates brand will also be visible through virtual banners in the stadium and on top of the scoreboard during nationally televised NBA games, beginning with the 2024 NBA All-Star Game.
Emirates will be a partner of select preseason and regular-season NBA Global Games and will engage with fans through the league's interactive fan events, including “NBA District” and “Home of the NBA.”
NBA content will also be available on all Emirates flights through the airline's inflight entertainment system, including full-length documentaries, player profiles, interviews and more.
The marketing partnership will also allow basketball fans to purchase a wide range of official NBA merchandise, including basketballs, sportswear and vintage collectibles, with co-branded collaborations coming later this year.
The merchandise will be sold at the official Emirates store at Emirates headquarters in Dubai and on the airline's website, with deliveries made worldwide.
The Emirates patch will also appear on the jerseys of all referees in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), starting in the 2025 season, and in the NBA G League, the official minor league of the NBA, starting in 2024-25 season.
“We are proud to establish a global marketing partnership with the National Basketball Association to become their official global airline,” said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Group. “This collaboration will also see Emirates become the league’s first referee jersey patch partner and the inaugural title partner of the NBA Cup. “The NBA is a valuable addition to our sponsorship portfolio, allowing us to connect with a vast global fan base, including in the US, where the game is an integral part of the country's sports culture.”
On the same day that Emirates announced its partnership with the NBA, another UAE airline, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, also revealed its own sports sponsorship deal. Etihad said it is now an official sponsor of the Chennai Super Kings cricket team.
Beyond the United Arab Emirates, Qatar Airways announced a major sports sponsorship deal last year when it said it had become the global partner and official airline of Formula 1 in a five-year deal that will see it maintain that position until 2027 season.
emirates.com
