NBA In-Season Tournament renamed 'Emirates NBA Cup' after $500,000,000 partnership – All you need to know

Moving forward, the NBA In-Season Tournament will now be known as the Emirates NBA Cup. The airline has agreed to terms on a massive sponsorship deal with the league.

There are many layers to global partnership deal, but the name change is the biggest aspect. The airline is the first partner of the In-Season Tournament, which is why their name will now be attached to the event. Along with the naming rights, Emirates is also going to be a jersey patch sponsor for referees.

The Emirates NBA Cup will not go into effect until next year, but other parts of the partnership will begin in the near future. Refs will be sporting their new jersey patch for the first time during the All-Star game on February 18.

Many were skeptical about the In-Season Tournament, but it ended up being a major success. The league saw a massive uptick in viewership, and the players seemed invested in the event. In the finals of the inaugural edition, LeBron James and the LA Lakers took down Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers.

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How much is the Emirates NBA Cup deal?

Neither side wanted to come out and say how much the deal is worth. However, some reports suggest that the Emirates NBA Cup could bring in around $500 million in ad revenue for the league.

In the coming years, the partnership between the NBA and the global airline will continue to grow. The name change for the In-Season Tournament is simply the beginning.

The biggest factor of this deal besides the naming rights is the jersey patch. Apart from NBA refs, officials in the WNBA and G-League will also sport a sponsor patch. This is expected to come into effect during the 2025 season.

Emirates also plans on playing a part in merchandising as well. When the deal becomes official, they'll be able to sell NBA gear at their headquarters and online store. The global airline is currently based out of Dubai.

When asked about the partnership deal, Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum feels it will help expand basketball's rapidly growing global outreach.

“As basketball continues to be recognized as the fastest growing sport globally, this collaboration will showcase the excitement of the NBA to the millions of people who fly Emirates every year,” Tatum said.

Like other sponsorship deals, Emirates will also be featured at top events in the NBA such as nationally televised games. Starting at this year's All-Star game, their branding will be found on top of the backboard.

The first ever Emirates NBA Cup is set to take place during the early months of the 2024-25 season.