NBA Reveals New Name for In-Season Tournament Competition
After one season, the NBA is renaming its in-season tournament competition, thanks to a new partnership.
The NBA announced a deal with the Dubai-based Emirates airline, which will become the title sponsor of the renamed Emirates NBA Cup. In addition to becoming the title sponsor of the league’s in-season tournament, Emirates also will have its logo featured on the jerseys of referees in the NBA, WNBA and G League.
“The NBA is a valuable addition to our sponsorship portfolio as it allows us to connect with a vast global fan base, including in the U.S., where the game is an integral part of the country’s sport culture,” Emirates group chairman and chief executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said in a press release.
The sponsorship will go into effect immediately, and the Emirates patches are set to debut on referee jerseys at the All-Star Game in Indianapolis on Feb. 18. G League officials won’t have the patch on their jerseys until next season, while WNBA officials won’t don the patch until the 2025 campaign.
In addition to jersey patches for officials, Emirates is also set to feature in-flight NBA content, including documentaries, interviews and more. Emirates also will sponsor marquee NBA events, such as the league’s NBA Finals Legacy Project, which assists in educational programs in the markets of the teams represented in the NBA Finals.