Why is the Emirates Airlines Logo on NBA Referees’ Uniforms?

During the NBA All-Star game on February 18th, referees wore jerseys with the Emirates Airlines logo. From now on, this imagery will continue to appear on the referees’ uniforms in this tournament. ESPN reported that Emirates Airlines will also partner with the 2024/25 G League and the 2025 WNBA.

So, why does this airline’s logo appear on NBA referees’ uniforms?

READ MORE: What does “Five by five” mean in basketball? List of NBA players who have recorded a 5×5 stat line

Why is the Emirates Airlines Logo on NBA Referees’ Uniforms? On February 8th, in a press release, Emirates Airlines was announced as the NBA’s global airline partner and the primary partner of the NBA In-Season Tournament.

To honor the partnership, referees’ uniforms will feature the Emirates Airlines logo. Additionally, the NBA In-Season Tournament will be renamed the Emirates NBA Cup. The airline will sponsor several global events and pre-season NBA events such as NBA District and NBA House. Furthermore, this UAE-based airline will also be the representative partner of the NBA Finals Heritage Project. In this project, the airline’s logo will be displayed on virtual signage in arenas and on the scoreboard for nationally broadcast NBA games.

Moreover, the airline’s flights will feature NBA content to serve passengers, including documentaries, player information, and interviews.

Emirates Airlines’ President and CEO, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, confirmed this partnership to the press: “We are proud to establish a relationship and become the official global airline partner of the NBA. With the global influence of basketball, we are delighted to collaborate with one of the most professional and prestigious basketball leagues.”

The Emirates Airlines logo will be affixed to G League referees’ uniforms starting from the 2024/25 season and on WNBA referees’ uniforms from the 2025 season. In the past two seasons, referees have increasingly been in the spotlight as the NBA introduced the “Challenges” rule. In the 2019/20 season, there was an average of only 0.59 challenges per game, which increased to 1.03 challenges per game in the 2023/24 season. This presents a significant opportunity for Emirates Airlines.

Emirates Airlines not only sponsors the NBA but also supports various sports events, teams, and organizations such as Real Madrid, AC Milan, Arsenal (soccer), as well as tennis tournaments like the US Open, Roland Garros, Australian Open, and golf tournaments like the DP World Tour.