Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 31 January 2025: The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has entered into a strategic partnership with Dubai Basketball, becoming one of the club’s founding sponsors and leveraging its international visibility and reach to reinforce Dubai’s position as a leading global hub for sports, events and entertainment.

DET and Dubai Basketball will work together to support the growth and development of the basketball community in the emirate, for both players and fans. The Dubai logo and visitdubai.com website also now features on the back of the team’s shirts, as well as prominently within the Coca-Cola Arena during the club’s home games. Promoting Dubai to new international audiences during Dubai Basketball’s home and away fixtures, this partnership highlights the shared commitment between the two organisations to showcase the emirate as a must-visit travel destination.

This season, Dubai Basketball has made history as the first team from the Middle East to compete in Europe’s ABA League, seeing them play top teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro, both home and away. With the city’s first international sports franchise hosting their home matches at Coca-Cola Arena, it also provides an opportunity for opposition fans to fly into Dubai, watch their team play, and enjoy the emirate’s diverse destination offering.

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), part of DET, said: “Our partnership with Dubai Basketball marks another exciting chapter in our collective journey to make Dubai the world’s best city to visit, live and work in, aligned with the aspirations of our visionary leadership. This collaboration not only supports the growth of the sport locally, but also enhances Dubai’s reputation as a premier global destination for world-class events, paving the way for more fans from Europe and beyond to visit Dubai. We are confident that this partnership will contribute to the emirate’s vibrant sports and tourism ecosystem, in line with the strategic goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, to further consolidate Dubai’s position as a leading global city for business and leisure.”

Dejan Kamenjašević, General Manager and Co-Founder of Dubai Basketball, said: “We are thrilled to welcome the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism as our partner, a government entity that is working towards supporting the growth of Dubai and expanding the city’s offerings.

“With Dubai established as one of the top global tourism destinations, Dubai Basketball will help attract further visitors from Europe to the emirate by competing in Europe’s ABA League, giving them an opportunity to not only see high-quality action at Coca-Cola Arena, but also some of the emirate’s famous attractions, and learn more about the UAE’s culture and heritage.”

This partnership between DET and Dubai Basketball further reinforces Dubai’s status as a dynamic destination for world-class sporting experiences, with a thriving sports scene propelled by a blend of homegrown events, local clubs, and global competitions. Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) continues to drive and support many of these initiatives, positioning Dubai as a top choice for both participants and fans, while also attracting more international sporting events to the region, further enhancing its appeal as a premier global destination for tourism and entertainment.

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About Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)

With the ultimate vision of making Dubai the world’s leading commercial centre, investment hub and tourism destination, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) is mandated to support the Government in positioning the emirate as a major hub for global economy and tourism, and in boosting the city’s economic and tourism competitiveness indicators, in line with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which aims to double the size of the emirate’s economy and consolidate its position among the top three global cities over the next decade.

Under this remit, DET is driving efforts to further enhance Dubai’s diversified, innovative service-based economy to attract top global talent, deliver a world-class business environment and accelerate productivity growth. Additionally, DET is supporting Dubai’s vision to become the world’s best city to visit, live and work in by promoting its diverse destination proposition, unique lifestyle and outstanding quality of life, overall.

DET is the principal authority for planning, supervising, developing and marketing Dubai’s business and tourism sectors. It is also responsible for licensing and classifying all types of businesses, including hotels, tour operators and travel agents. DET’s portfolio includes Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation (DBLC), Dubai Corporation for Consumer Protection and Fair Trade (DCCPFT), Dubai SME, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) and Dubai College of Tourism (DCT).

About Dubai Basketball: 

Founded in 2023 by UAE’s Abdulla Saeed Al Naboodah, Dubai Basketball is a newly-established professional basketball franchise that plays in Europe’s – the Adriatic Basketball Association (ABA) League for the 2024/25 season. The franchise has assembled a strong roster of players with the team represented by countries including the Philippines, USA, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Jordan, Turkey, Latvia, Italy, Bosnia, and France. The franchise plays their home games in the ABA League at Coca-Cola Arena.

Dubai Basketball stands as a testament to the power of passion and dedication in shaping the landscape of basketball in the UAE and beyond. Its foundation is built upon a diverse and talented team, consisting of FIBA-certified coaches, former professional players, business experts, and passionate enthusiasts.

Dubai Basketball is committed to catalysing positive social change, where dreams are not just envisioned but realised, talents are not merely found but nurtured, and aspirations are not only lived but fulfilled.

Keep up to date with the latest news on Dubai Basketball by visiting www.dubaibasketball.com or on its social media platforms:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/dubaibasketballclub
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/dubaibasketballclub/
X – https://x.com/dubaibasket