NBA and Al Mana Fashion Group to open League’s first store in UAE

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and

Al Mana Fashion Group (Al Mana) today announced an expanded multiyear collaboration to open

the first brick-and-mortar NBA Store in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the league’s first e-

commerce site dedicated to fans in the Middle East.

The new brick-and-mortar store, which will be operated by Al Mana and located at Yas Mall on Yas

Island in Abu Dhabi, will open this fall in conjunction with The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022,

which will feature the Atlanta Hawks and the 2021 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks playing two

preseason games at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, Oct. 6 and Saturday,

Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. GST. The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 will mark the league’s first games in the

UAE and the Arabian Gulf.

The 500+ square-meter interactive retail and community space will feature a wide range of authentic

NBA merchandise and memorabilia, including current and former player jerseys, fan apparel,

headwear, footwear, basketballs, accessories and more from major brands such as Nike, Mitchell &

Ness, New Era and Wilson. The store will also feature exclusive NBA Abu Dhabi-branded apparel

and novelties, as well as a customization area where fans can personalize NBA jerseys.

Beginning later this month, NBA fans in the UAE and across the Middle East will be able to shop

online at NBAStoreME.com for the widest selection of authentic NBA products ever available in the

region. The site will be available in both Arabic and English. Fans can register their interest in

receiving updates about the site’s launch by visiting NBAStoreME.com in the coming weeks.

"We are excited to bring the first NBA Store to the UAE and to Yas Mall," said Tom Foley, General

Manager of Al Mana Fashion Group – Sports Division. "We hope the location evolves into

something more than a store and serves as a 365 celebration of culture and history of the NBA,

acting as go-to place for fans and players alike and a focal point for the game of basketball in Abu

Dhabi."

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"The opening of the NBA Store in Abu Dhabi in conjunction with our first games there reflects the

growing popularity of basketball in the UAE and across the Middle East," said NBA Europe and

Middle East Senior Director, Global Partnerships Steve Griffiths. "Through this new flagship store

and dedicated e-commerce site, we are excited to expand our collaboration with Al Mana Fashion

Group to provide the widest range of authentic NBA products ever available to fans in the region."

Fans visiting Yas Mall from Sept. 22 – Oct. 8 will also be able to enjoy various interactive basketball

activities within an NBA-themed area located in the Mall’s Town Square courtyard one floor below

the NBA Store location, featuring the Larry O’Brien Trophy on display, NBA Jam, NBA 2K23

kiosks and pop-a-shots.

There are more than 400 NBA-branded retail stores and attractions worldwide that serve as the

league’s official destinations for fans around the world.

The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 are part of a groundbreaking multiyear collaboration between the

NBA and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) that earlier this

year saw the launch of the first Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, a youth basketball league for 450 boys

and girls ages 11-14 from local schools across Abu Dhabi. 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 at Middle East

Film & Comic Con. Additional events and activities around The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 will

be announced prior to the games.

Fans can purchase tickets to The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 by visiting

NBAEvents.com/AbuDhabi and follow the NBA on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

(@NBAArabic) for the latest updates, news and content in Arabic.

More than 220 male and female prospects from the Middle East – including five players from the

UAE – have participated in Basketball Without Borders (BWB) or NBA Academy, the league’s elite

basketball development programs for top prospects from outside the U.S. Since 2019, more than 500

boys and girls have also participated in the NBA Basketball School Dubai (UAE), a year-round,

tuition-based basketball development program for boys and girls ages 6-18.

About Al Mana

Al Mana is a Qatari conglomerate operating over 55 companies in eight countries and employing

over 3,500 personnel. Industry activities include automotive distribution and services, real estate and

investments, retail, food and beverage, engineering, technology, media and entertainment. The

group covers most areas of retail including luxury goods, beauty, fashion, sporting goods, home

interiors, watches and jewelry. Operating over 300 outlets, Al Mana represents some of the largest

and most successful brands in the world. The group is owned and operated by Hisham Saleh Al

Mana, Kamal Saleh Al Mana and Wissam Saleh Al Mana, sons of the late Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana,

in their capacity as executive directors. For more information: http://www.almana.com/.

About the NBA

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the

mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Built around five

professional sports leagues: the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball

Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and

programming available in 214 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise

for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of

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the 2021-22 season featured a record 121 international players from 40 countries. NBA Digital’s

assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one

of the largest social media communities in the world, with 2.1 billion likes and followers globally

across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important

social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support

education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

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Contacts

Cath Shefford, NBA EME, +44 7834900390, cshefford@nba.com

Kirsten Pugsley, Al Mana Fashion, kirsten_pugsley@almana.com