Qatar Airways announced its first major partnership with an NBA team or venue, becoming the Official Global Airline Partner of the Brooklyn Nets and the team’s home, Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York.
The multi-year agreement will provide Qatar Airways with a big exposure in the US, while strengthening the airline’s global sponsorship portfolio and uniting people from around the world at a renowned entertainment venue. As part of the agreement, Barclays Center’s Courtside Club will become the Qatar Airways Club, and the airline will also receive branding on all courtside seats.
Located in the heart of Brooklyn, Barclays Center is a world-class indoor venue and is ranked in the top-five nationally in gross revenue and attendance by Billboard and Venues Today. In addition to being home to the Brooklyn Nets, Barclays Center hosts a wealth of concerts and entertainment and, in the past, has featured performances by internationally-renowned artists and legends including Barbra Streisand, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Madonna and Bruce Springsteen, as well as family-friendly events such as Disney on Ice and Sesame Street Live.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker said, “Qatar Airways is delighted to sign this exciting sponsorship agreement with the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center, a major NBA franchise and a world-renowned venue which hosts some of the most thrilling sporting and entertainment events globally. This new partnership will provide Qatar Airways with maximum exposure to the rest of the world, echoing our belief in bringing people together. We are proud to be able to bring spectators from around the world to New York, and we look forward to celebrating together at Barclays Center.”
BSE Global CEO Brett Yormark added: “We are thrilled to be the first NBA team and venue to welcome Qatar Airways as an Official Partner. It has been an ongoing priority of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center to expand our reach globally, and Qatar Airways helps us bring brand awareness to a dynamic new audience.”
Qatar Airways’ codeshare partner, JetBlue, continues as the Official Domestic Airline Partner of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center.
Qatar Airways holds an extensive global sports portfolio, sponsoring some of the biggest teams around the world. In addition to its existing partnership with the German football club giants Bayern Munich, for which it is a Platinum Partner, Qatar Airways also recently revealed multi-year sponsorship agreements as Official Jersey Sponsor with Italian football club Roma and Argentinian football club Boca Juniors.
In May 2017, Qatar Airways had also announced a ground-breaking sponsorship deal with FIFA, which saw the award-winning airline become the Official Partner and Official Airline of FIFA until 2022.
The partnership, one of the biggest sporting sponsorships in the world, will give Qatar Airways extensive marketing and branding rights at the 2022 World Cup Qatar, with an expected audience reach of more than two billion people.
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