Abu Dhabi has secured a deal to become the title sponsor of EuroLeague Basketball, the first sponsorship change in 15 years for Europe’s top men's club competition.
The Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, in partnership with Etihad Airways, has signed a four-year agreement to further enhance the emirate’s growing influence in international sport.
“This partnership is important to position Abu Dhabi as a global destination for entertainment, international sport and all types of events,” Saood Al Hosani, under-secretary of the DCT Abu Dhabi, told The National.
For Etihad, the new collaboration represents a chance to align with an expanding international presence. “EuroLeague has 90 million fans and is spread across the globe," said chief executive Antonoaldo Neves. “This gives us the kind of visibility we need to address our future marketing needs, given the growth we have ahead of us.”
The deal comes as EuroLeague continues to expand, with Dubai Basketball one of three new teams joining for the new season, which begins on September 30.
Dubai will face Partizan Belgrade at Coca-Cola Arena on the first night. Hapoel Tel Aviv and Valencia are the other new teams in what is now a 20-team competition after Alba Berlin withdrew.
Turkish Airlines was the title sponsor for the previous 15 years, but the league is rebranding with a new visual identity, including a refreshed logo, as part of its global expansion strategy.
Introduced in 1958 before becoming EuroLeague Basketball in 2000, the competition is widely regarded as the top-tier and most prestigious men's club basketball competition in Europe.
This season, each club will play 38 games in a round-robin format, with the top six advancing to the play-offs. The teams finishing seventh to 10th face each other in one-off matches for the chance to claim the two other play-off spots.
After four best-of-five play-off series, the season will culminate in the Final Four – semi-finals, third-place play-off and final – in Athens next year. Last season's Final Four was hosted for the first time in the Middle East at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena in May, when Turkish club Fenerbahce defeated French side Monaco in the final.
EuroLeague Basketball chief executive Paulius Motiejunas said the timing of the Abu Dhabi sponsorship deal could not be better, with the league marking its 25th anniversary season.
“The stars fell into play,” he said. “It’s perfect timing for us with the Final Four coming and then this dual partnership coming, so it plays out like a dream.
“They had the courage to take the Final Four – the best product that we have. We brought in the best teams with passionate fan bases and they loved the city. The area was amazing. The hotels and restaurants were great. All the infrastructure is amazing. We had so many fans who came in and they loved the experience.”
Over the years, the league has built a strong identity, increasing attendance and forging a reputation for raising standards. While the NBA may be more widely known, Motiejunas believes EuroLeague offers something unique.
“We are the best passionate league in the world,” he said. “I know that everybody knows the NBA and they have a great product. There’s so many things for us to learn from on the business side, but from the passion side, we have the best fan bases and the best rivalries.”
