LONDON & ABU DHABI: The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) today announced that the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 will feature the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves playing two preseason games on Thursday, Oct. 5 and Saturday, Oct. 7 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 will air live in the UAE and across the Middle East and North Africa on beIN SPORTS, the Sports Channel and NBA League Pass, and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories on television, digital media and social media. The games and surrounding events will be supported by a roster of marketing partners, including Aldar, Experience Abu Dhabi, Gatorade, Nike and Tissot.
The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 are part of a multiyear collaboration between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi that last year saw the Atlanta Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks play the league’s first games in the Arabian Gulf. In January, the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi launched an expanded second season of the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, featuring boys’ and girls’ leagues each composed of 450 players ages 11-14 from schools across the UAE capital.
The collaboration also includes a variety of interactive fan events featuring appearances by current and former NBA players, a series of NBA FIT clinics promoting health and wellness, and an NBA 2K League exhibition event. The collaboration sees DCT Abu Dhabi, under Experience Abu Dhabi, the tourism promotion initiative of the UAE’s capital, serve as the Official Tourism Destination Partner of the NBA in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and China.
The Mavericks currently feature four-time NBA All-Star and three-time All-NBA First Team member Luka Doncic as well as 2016 NBA champion and eight-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving. The Timberwolves currently feature three-time NBA All-Star and two-time All-NBA Third Team member Karl-Anthony Towns, three-time NBA All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, and 2023 NBA All-Star Anthony Edwards.
NBA games have aired in the UAE since the 1987-88 season. Fans can follow the NBA on Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter (@NBAArabic) for the latest updates, news and content in Arabic.
And NBA fans can visit here to register their interest in tickets.
