Dubai-based airline Emirates has expanded and extended its commercial tie-up with men's tennis' ATP Tour.
A five-year partnership renewal, running between 2026 and 2030, has been announced today, through which (as one aspect of the deal) Emirates will become the first-ever umpire sleeve patch partner of the tour.
Emirates has a history of sponsoring officials across sports such as rugby union, cricket, basketball, and sailing (it is the umpiring partner of the SailGP series, for example).
In addition, it will continue as a premier partner and the official airline of the tennis tour through 2030.
In terms of partnership assets, Emirates will continue to "showcase its premium hospitality" at close to 60 ATP tournaments each season, while the airline will also continue receiving significant marketing rights and brand visibility through the course of the deal.
As well as this, Emirates will collaborate with tour players on digital promotions, "through a dedicated activation program," the ATP has said.
The two parties first partnered up in 2013, while the last deal renewal was unveiled in November 2019 (running through the end of 2025). GlobalData Sport has estimated the value of the tie-up as $12 million annually.
Emirates is also a sponsor of all four tennis grand slams, with a partnership extension covering the Australian Open unveiled last December.
Indeed, it is one of the most prominent tennis sponsors globally through this stable of agreements.
Daniele Sano, chief business officer at the ATP, has said: "This renewal is a big moment for both of us. It speaks to the strength of our relationship and everything we’ve built together. Right now, the tour is in a really exciting place. We’re seeing record attendance, growing commercial interest, and real momentum across the board."
This deal has been announced in the midst of the ATP's grass-court season, with players currently preparing for the iconic Wimbledon Championships in London, UK.
In terms of ATP Tour sponsorship activity over the last few months, early May saw renowned global beer brand Stella Artois come on board as a partner, in a tie-up running through 2028.
Outside of tennis, earlier in June, the airline signed on as a multi-year commercial partner of the European Professional Club Rugby club competition organizing body.
