By Mark Baber
August 14 – Emirates announced Thursday that it has signed a three-year deal with the UAE’s domestic league – officially known as the ‘Arabian Gulf League’ – as its Official Partner and Airline, in a move which risks exacerbating tensions with Iran.
In its statement, the Dubai-owned airline which describes itself as “a connector of people and their football passions” said that “the deal underscores the airline’s on-going commitment in supporting football as well as connecting with the fan base of the 14 clubs which make up the UAE’s only professional league. “
HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the uncle of the current ruler of Dubai and Chairman & Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group remarked on the new partnership saying: “Sponsorship has always been a vital component of our marketing strategy. Through our sponsorship and support of an incredible line-up of global football clubs and popular football events we have been able to bring major clubs to the UAE to compete in tournaments, connecting them to their fans. With our new partnership with the Arabian Gulf League, we will be in an even stronger position to add value to the UAE’s professional league by capitalising on opportunities that will link local clubs with international football teams through focused collaboration.”
Suhail Al Areefi, CEO of the Pro League Committee, said: “The Pro League Committee is proud of its partnership with Emirates Airlines, the Official Partner and Airline of the Arabian Gulf League, Arabian Gulf Cup, Arabian Gulf Super Cup and U21 League. Emirates is one of the world’s leading airlines, and is an Emirati company with an international pedigree of supporting high profile global sporting associations, teams and events – particularly related to football. We hope that through associating with Emirates as our Official Partner, this will assist the development of the Arabian Gulf League both locally and globally.”
Although the deal will give the airline brand visibility and on-site advertising at the Arabian Gulf Super Cup, at all 182 Arabian Gulf League matches, 45 Arabian Gulf Cup matches as well as 26 televised U21 League matches, the effect on the company’s extensive flight operations to Tehran is uncertain.
Iran has long objected to the use of the name “Arabic Gulf” (which originally applied to the Red Sea) to the Persian Gulf, particularly as it was first applied by the Iraqi Ba’ath Party as part of a racist agenda which eventually led to the deaths of 1 million Iranians in the Iraq-Iran war.
With the UN supporting Iran’s position on the naming issue, Iran in 2010 threatened to cancel flights by airlines which failed to use the Persian Gulf designation. When the UAE renamed its professional league the ‘Arabian Gulf League’ in May 2013, Iran objected to FIFA and Iranian players either left or refused to join the renamed League.
Some may argue it is natural for Emirates to sponsor the main league in the UAE, and the Emirates statement emphasises the wide range of the airline’s sponsorships, saying: “Football remains one of the most celebrated sports within Emirates’ sponsorship portfolio.”
“This is demonstrated through on-going partnerships with some of the biggest names in club football, and some of the most significant tournaments including shirt sponsors of leading European and international clubs like AC Milan, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Hamburger SV, Benfica SL, New York Cosmos and Arsenal in a deal which includes naming rights to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. Emirates is also the Official Airline of Greek club, Olympiacos. Locally, Emirates supports Arsenal Soccer Schools Dubai, a joint venture between Emirates and Arsenal Football Club, teaching boys and girls how to ‘play the Arsenal way’ through mentoring from UEFA licensed coaches.
“The airline was also recently named as Title Sponsor of The Emirates FA Cup. Emirates is also the Official Airline and Partner of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the governing body of Asian football, and has sponsorship rights to all its tournaments, including the AFC Champions League, AFC Cup and the AFC Challenge Cup, as well as a number of women’s and youth events.”
However, some may argue that, inside the labyrinthine politics of the UAE, (which recently saw Islamic Relief UK and the Council on American-Islamic Relations designated as terrorist organisations), some may be using football to stoke further tensions in the region, whilst some academics argue the construction of an Arabic identity for the UAE is primarily a way of legitimising the ruling ethnocracy and denying citizenship rights to the 90%+ of the population who are, of course, not ethnically Arab.
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