(NBA) National Basketball Association Flagship Store Abu Dhabi

Appointed to design the first flagship store for NBA (National Basketball Association) in Abu Dhabi to coincide with the pre season games hosted in the Middle East October 2022, a first for the region. The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 marked the league’s first games in the UAE and the Arabian Gulf. The 500+ sqm interactive retail and community space featured a wide range of authentic NBA merchandise and memorabilia, including current and former player jerseys, fan apparel, headwear, footwear, basketballs, accessories, including major brands Nike, Mitchell & Ness, New Era and Wilson. The store also features exclusive NBA Abu Dhabi-branded apparel and novelties, as well as a customisation area where fans can personalise NBA jerseys. The location evolved 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, reflective of the growing popularity of basketball in the UAE and across the Middle East The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 was part of a groundbreaking multiyear collaboration between the NBA and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) that earlier in 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 multi-use section of basketball court within the design encourages boys and girls to come together and play, shoot hoops and experience the game whilst being immersed by NBA players on large digital screens. When not in use as a court, the space doubles up a location for players old and new to share talks and experiences with school children and basketball academies. A place of connection, inspiration and education. The vision of this design concept was to put the community at the heart of the concept, a first for the brand. On the back of this success, the store is delivering ROI as planned, has become a key retail partner for Nike and has received global acclaim from NBA Vice President of Partnerships as ‘…one of their most impressive stores.’