Sports writing Nov 16 (EFE) .- The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) announced on Tuesday that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host the first two games of the League in the Arabian Gulf in October 2022.
The matches will be preseason, while the participating teams and the venue have yet to be confirmed after a multi-year agreement that resumes, after the pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, the NBA’s strategy of taking more games away from its borders.
“This agreement marks an important milestone in the continued global growth of basketball,” said Mark Tatum, NBA deputy commissioner, in a statement sent by the League.
“It will create opportunities for boys and girls to learn the fundamentals and essential values of the game through various training programs and fan events,” he added.
The agreement includes, in addition to hosting two preseason games, interactive events for fans that will feature the presence of NBA players and legends, the launch of Jr. NBA leagues for boys and girls in UAE schools in which the teamwork and inclusion, as well as series of encounters to promote health and wellness, and an exhibition event for the NBA 2K League, the virtual league of the NBA.
The announcement of further demonstrates the emirate’s position as a premier venue for global sports and attracting top talent. Adding the NBA to our impressive annual portfolio of sporting and entertainment events only reinforces the UAE’s capital’s position as a center of sporting excellence. We look forward to the NBA playing an integral role in developing young talent and healthy lifestyles, ”said HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, President of DTC Abu Dhabi.
In addition, this collaboration will make DCT Abu Dhabi, through the ‘Visit Abu Dhabi’ brand, the tourism promotion initiative of the UAE capital, an official tourism partner of the NBA in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and China.
(c) EFE Agency