Advertisement - scroll for more content
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement - scroll for more content
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Euroleague Basketball have announced that the EuroLeague Final Four will return to the UAE capital in 2027 and 2029.
Mike Vorkunov: Adam Silver, in an appearance at Puck's In The Arena conference, said his prime worry is about geopolitics and "economic issues, potential inflationary issues" in the US. He said Wizards were supposed to play in Doha & Abu Dhabi this month but it was cancelled because of the war
Brian Windhorst: "The NBA was planning on having games in Doha this fall. I believe the Wizards and Nets were planning on going there, and possibly even the Cavs. The Cavs and Heat were looking at going to Abu Dhabi, and then going to Doha, but the Wizards and Nets were going to Doha. Those were, they never were announced, and a few days ago, the NBA decided to just move on from that obviously because of the situation in the Middle East."
For the first time in five years, the NBA will not play any preseason games in the Middle East, sources told ESPN. The decision comes amid the war between the United States and Iran and the ongoing conflict in the region. While the NBA never announced preseason games in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, this year, as it had for the previous four years, sources told ESPN that the league had held discussions with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards about potentially participating in the games.
That partnership will continue and preseason games will be scheduled in Abu Dhabi in the future, sources said. The NBA is expected to revisit playing in Qatar in the future, sources said, though there is no timeline for that with the ongoing conflict.
Advertisement
The patch on the upper left corner of New York Knicks jerseys during the NBA Finals instructs fans to “Experience Abu Dhabi.” It’s a high-profile example of what has become a relatively common sponsorship in global sports—sovereign funds encouraging fans to travel to places they might not have previously considered. Right now, however, is a bad time to experience Abu Dhabi, at least according to the U.S. government. The State Department lists the United Arab Emirates as a Level 3 country, meaning Americans should “reconsider travel,” due to the threat of armed conflict and terrorism.
The war in Iran, which spread quickly across the Middle East, has altered the impact for what is likely a mid-eight-figure sponsorship agreement—among the most expensive patch deals in the NBA. Abu Dhabi has built a reputation in recent years as a safe option for tourists and professionals across the region, but as tens of millions of people globally see the Experience Abu Dhabi patch during the Knicks’ Finals games, the emirate is reckoning with a shift in circumstance. “No matter what type of tourism advertising they do, they can’t overcome the geopolitical realities or facts on the ground,” Eric Lob, a Middle East expert and professor at Florida International University, said in an interview. “They’ve sustained a lot of damage and destruction to their civilian and energy infrastructure. Their image as a hub of stability—for investment, tourism, finance, etc.—has really taken a hit. … It’s a precarious time for them.”
The NextGen EuroLeague tournament being held in Abu Dhabi will be cancelled after initially being temporarily suspended. The EuroLeague has announced that the tournament, which was supposed to resume at 17:00 local time with the matchup between AS Monaco and Aris, won't continue. "Euroleague Basketball regrets to announce the cancellation of the adidas NextGen EuroLeague qualifying tournament in Abu Dhabi," the EuroLeague said in a statement. "In light of the current situation in the region, this decision has been made to guarantee the safety and security of all participants." "After careful evaluation and ongoing consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders, it was determined that cancelling the event is the most responsible course of action at this time." According to Gigantes del Basket, the tournament was stopped during the AS Monaco vs. Aris game earlier today following attacks on military bases near the venue.
In April 2025, TWG Global and Mubadala Capital announced an investment partnership that involved Mubadala Capital investing $10 billion into TWG Global as part of a $15 billion equity raise. Mubadala Capital is the alternative asset branch of Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund. TWG Global is a holding company of which Walter is the CEO. TWG Global owns multiple sports assets, such as the Dodgers, Lakers, Sparks (WNBA) and the Professional Women’s Hockey League. A month and a half later, there was an announcement that the Lakers had sold for $10 billion. Let’s do some quick math: TWG Global gets an investment of $10 billion from Abu Dhabi’s wealth fund. A month and a half later, TWG Global buys the Lakers at a $10 billion valuation.
Brian Windhorst: The Lakers were bought with Middle East money. I know that Mark Walter is the governor. I guess Jeanie Buss is the governor, but he is the controlling owner. But that group, Mark Walter's group, took on 10 billion dollars from Abu Dhabi shortly before. I don't work for the company, so I can't verify… But they took on $10 billion from Abu Dhabi and then three months later bought the Lakers for 10 billion. They actually bought it for six billion, but 10 billion valuation. The influx of that Middle Eastern money and the Lakers just swifted all the valuations. So maybe they knew that they could sell the team for 10 billion, but maybe they didn't think they could do that till 2035, but all of a sudden the Lakers are now worth a lot of money.
Advertisement
The NBA and Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism announced an extension of their partnership Thursday, with the league agreeing to continue bringing preseason games to the Middle East and the sides completing talks to launch a new global academy in the United Arab Emirates' capital for top boys players. Financial terms were not disclosed, though it's reasonable to expect that the nine-year extension would be worth well over $300 million — based on how the DCT agreed to pay the EuroLeague a reported 25 million euros ($29.2 million) to play host to that league's Final Four last year.
International basketball is on the cusp of a new, richer and expansive era that is aiming to deliver more of the sport to underserved fans and -- perhaps more importantly -- capture vast sovereign wealth fund capital that is seeking a place to invest in the sport. Some legacy leagues are in danger of being left behind. Some new leagues are trying to rise up. The NBA is focused on defending and strengthening its position as the biggest dog. And, despite the scrutiny it might create, that means deepening relations with Abu Dhabi and its wealthy neighbors. "WHEN I CLOSE my eyes, I can see an NBA game being played in front of 22,500 people at the Sphere," Al Mubarak says as he leans back in a chair in a glittering building on the expansive NYU Abu Dhabi campus. He's not talking about Las Vegas. "We will have the world's greatest technology where we can immerse the fans in the experience and they can feel the game on a new level."
Silver, however, is focused on his Middle East partners in Abu Dhabi. How and where all the money might flow and the impact it could have remains to be seen. But what is known is that the connection between the NBA and the Middle East is real, and an expansion of the relationship is coming, and the league is shoring up support with rivals, both seen and unseen, across the region. "We are thinking about the long term, not just the next couple of years," Al Mubarak said. "I believe that this partnership with the NBA will outlive me."
Stefan Bondy: Malcolm Brogdon's sudden retirement is a shocker. He was going to make the Knicks final roster and said in Abu Dhabi he was expecting to be an impact rotation player. But a career in the NBA took a toll, physically and mentally. And I heard it dawned on him in camp that some of the desire/hunger was lost.