ATLANTA — Attention Atlanta Hawks fans. If you ever wanted a chance to go to the United Arab Emirates, or more specifically the city of Abu-Dhabi, your opportunity has arrived.
The NBA announced on Tuesday morning that the Hawks will play the Milwaukee Bucks in a pair of preseason games in the middle eastern city this coming October.
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The games will be played on Oct. 6 and 8 at the Etihad Arena on the city’s Yas Island. Fans can go to the NBA’s website to register for the opportunity to get tickets for the games if they are interested.
“The NBA continues to do an amazing job of growing the game internationally, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in the first NBA Abu Dhabi Games. As we look toward the future of the Hawks brand, being recognized as a premier NBA franchise globally is something we aspire to, and we believe the experience for our players and staff to take in the culture in Abu Dhabi will be both incredibly memorable and impactful,” said Hawks CEO Steve Koonin.
This will mark the first attempt at playing games in the United Arab Emirates and in the Arabian Gulf area and will feature two teams who made it to the 2021-22 NBA Playoffs.
According to the NBA, the 2022 games are part of a multi-year partnership between the league Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism. Earlier this year, the partnership launched a youth basketball league for 450 boys and girls between the ages of 11-14 from local schools throughout the city. The partnership will also include interactive fan events, appearances by current and former NBA players and more.
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This will mark the first attempt at playing games in the United Arab Emirates and in the Arabian Gulf area and will feature two teams who made it to the 2021-22 NBA Playoffs.
According to the NBA, the 2022 games are part of a multi-year partnership between the league Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism. Earlier this year, the partnership launched a youth basketball league for 450 boys and girls between the ages of 11-14 from local schools throughout the city. The partnership will also include interactive fan events, appearances by current and former NBA players and more.
The games will be broadcast to subscribers of the NBA’s League Pass and will reach fans in over 200 countries and territories around the world on television, digital and social media. There is no word if there will be a local broadcast available of the games.
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