Earlier today, the New York Knicks “announced a new marketing partnership naming ‘Experience Abu Dhabi’ as the Official Patch Partner of the New York Knicks,” per a press release from the team.
With the NBA season beginning next week, the Knicks made sure to have a jersey ad in time for the start of the season. The team had been playing pre-season games ad-free.
The team signed a multiyear agreement with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi to have “Experience Abu Dhabi” as the team’s jersey advertiser starting with the 2024-25 season.
Like most organizations who bespoil their uniforms with ads, the team describes the advertiser as their “official patch partner.”
The ad will appear on Knicks home and away game jerseys, as well as warmup jackets and shooting shirts. Additionally, jerseys sold at Madison Square Garden’s in-arena retail locations will feature the Experience Abu Dhabi ad. The Knicks previously had a Sphere ad on their uniforms.
As is typical of these transactions, the terms were not publicly divulged, but it’s estimated the Knicks will receive anywhere between $30 and $45 million per season as part of the deal.
As the ad implies, “Experience Abu Dhabi” is an organization that promotes tourism in the United Arab Emirates capital.
Here’s another look at the new ad:
As part of the deal, Experience Abu Dhabi will also have advertising before, during and after Knicks games on MSG Network.
No ad is a good ad, but some may consider this “partnership” particularly noxious, given the many complaints about sportswashing by the United Arab Emirates. The NBA has played preseason games in the UAE for three straight years, and Team USA played exhibition games there in preparation for the Paris Olympics this past summer. The NBA Cup is sponsored by Emirates Airlines.
The NBA has been criticized for these dealings because of the UAE’s alleged history of human rights violations.
Your thoughts?
I guess sports wasking is still going strong. Would rather experience a root canal than Ebu Dhabi. All just visual polution at this point. I’ve gotten quite skilled at tuning it all out.
Could be worse. Could be “Experience Riyadh” or “Experience Kabul”.
Only just barely:
link
Only just barely.
Are the NBA referees still wearing Fly Emirates advertisements?
What’s the NBA cup?
The in-season tournament.
“Official Patch Partner”. Puke.
I’d rather experience bij.
*cue Klingon theme music*
It’s worth it for Robert O’Reilly’s eyes alone.
All I know about Abu Dhabi is that’s where Garfield was always trying to mail Nermal.
Nermal is a male kitten, for those who do not know.
I’m so happy that I’m not the only one who thought of Garfield and Nermal before anything else regarding Abu Dhabi!
Feelings about the ad notwithstanding, I am surprised the NBA allowed this ad to happen given how much the league is getting in league-wide sponsorships from Dubai. While the same country, there’s a lot of hard feelings and competition between the Emirates, especially Dubai & Abu Dhabi.
Karl Anthony Towns’ expression says it all.
Like a lot of us here I don’t like the ads for aesthetic reasons but this one is especially gross.
Now I want a team an Abu Dhabi to wear an Experience New York patch in return. the ad looks totally horrible, ofcourse.
Only the 33rd least free country in the world according to Freedom House, ahead of Somalia but behind Iraq, so it’s got that going for it.