ADQ and the National Basketball Association (NBA) have announced a multiyear collaboration to engage fans and youth basketball players in Abu Dhabi.
The agreement makes ADQ the presenting partner of The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023, featuring the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves, who will play two preseason games on 5 and 7 October 2023 at Etihad Arena, Yas Island. The collaboration will also see ADQ host and support the league’s grassroots basketball programmes in the UAE including as part of the league’s existing collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).
The collaboration will see ADQ support a variety of NBA fan engagement, youth development and social impact initiatives to develop the next generation of fans and players in the UAE and promote a healthy and active lifestyle, including the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, NBA FIT clinics, NBA Cares events, and NBA youth basketball development camps.
Anas Albarguthi, Chief Operating Officer at ADQ, said: “Through this groundbreaking collaboration, ADQ will contribute to the increasing prominence of the sport and bolster the emirate’s profile as an attractive destination, while encouraging healthier lifestyles. Our track record in partnering with leading organisations to promote physical activity both on a professional and an amateur level has served to prove that sports yield tangible benefits for local communities.”
Ralph Rivera, Middle East Managing Director at NBA Europe, said: “Engaging with local communities and growing basketball at the grassroots level are cornerstones of our broader efforts to use the game to inspire and connect people in the Middle East and globally, and our collaboration with ADQ will help us teach the game and its values to the next generation of fans and players.”
The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 will air live in the UAE and across the Middle East and North Africa on beIN SPORTS, The Sports Channel and NBA League Pass, and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories on television, digital media and social media. NBA games have aired in the UAE since the 1987-88 season.
The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 are part of a multiyear collaboration between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi that last year saw the Atlanta Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks play the league’s first games in the emirate and Arabian Gulf.
Tickets for The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 Presented by ADQ will go on sale at a later date. Fans can register their interest in receiving more information, including exclusive ticket presale, special ticket packages offering premium access, VIP experiences, hospitality and local hotel accommodations, by visiting NBA.com/AbuDhabi.
