Emirates has partnered with the Beirut Basketball Club as its Official Airline and jersey sponsor for the next three seasons. The deal underscores the airline’s long-standing commitment to supporting basketball in Lebanon, where the sport is hugely popular, and across the region, connecting with fanbases that cut across geographies and sharing their love for the game.
To celebrate the partnership, Emirates and the Beirut Basketball Club tipped off their relationship with a special media event in a co-branded basketball court where the Club trains and plays its season games.
Tamador Kouatly, Regional Manager Levant for Emirates Airline said: “As the Official Airline and jersey sponsor of the Beirut Basketball Club, Emirates solidifies its relationship and commitment to Lebanon and the passionate fans of the game. We look forward to what will be an exciting time for the team, as it heads abroad to play in a number of regional and international tournaments, as well as the start of its season, as they proudly wear their ‘Emirates Fly Better’ emblazoned jerseys. We also aim to jointly inspire young people at the club to realise their full potential and support their journey. Emirates has a long history of sponsoring basketball, starting with the UAE and Lebanese Basketball Associations and Clubs, and we’re ready to work side-by-side with the team and its players to help boost the sport of basketball in the region, and support grassroots activities to grow the prospects of young, talented athletes.”
Nadim Hakim, Beirut Basketball Club President, said: “The Beirut Basketball Club is tremendously proud to have Emirates Airline, led by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, its Chairman and Chief Executive, as our main sponsor for the next three seasons. It is a great honour for a Lebanese club to partner with a global leader in sports like Emirates, and their support demonstrates our shared objective of positively impacting the communities we serve, and providing opportunities for talented youth to fulfil their potential.”
As part of its agreement, Emirates will receive numerous sponsorship rights including the prominent placement of its signature ‘Emirates Fly Better’ logo on the player jerseys, digital and static court branding at all of the Men’s and Women’s matches, TV and broadcast exposure, digital and social media activation rights on the Club’s platforms, player access, as well as game ticket allocation for each match.
The Club will participate in several local and regional leagues and tournaments, with the Men’s team playing in the Lebanese Basketball League, the Lebanese Cup, the Arab Championship, and the Dubai International Tournament. In 2022, The team clinched the Men’s Lebanese League Championship, and have been crowned Lebanese Cup Champions.
The Women’s’ team will participate in the Lebanese Basketball League. The Beirut Women’s Basketball Club were crowned champions at the 23rd Arab Women’s Club Championship, which was the club’s third consecutive win of the prestigious title.
Emirates will support the U-18 and academy teams, by helping the club cultivate a new generation of players, enriching the pipeline of talent from across local communities in Lebanon.
The Beirut Basketball Club was formed in 2016, with the aim to foster inclusion among Lebanese sporting enthusiasts. Emirates and the Club have enjoyed a successful relationship over the years, with the airline sponsoring the club during its participation at the Dubai International Tournament on numerous occasions. The Club was one of the first teams to wear the airline’s new “Emirates Fly Better” slogan on its jerseys in 2019.
Emirates has been a steadfast supporter of basketball since 1991, when it partnered with the UAE Basketball Association as Sponsor and Official Airline. The airline has also been a sponsor of the Dubai International Basketball Championship for close to 30 years, as well as the staging of the FIBA World Championship in the UAE in 2014. Teams sponsored by Emirates have won the International Basketball Championship seven times.
Emirates has also been a proud supporter of the Lebanese Basketball League. In addition, airline has sponsored top division teams in the Lebanese Basketball League through its support of jersey and institutional sponsorships.
