Dubai Basketball Club Drafts M&C Saatchi to Build Global Brand Ahead of EuroLeague Debut

Dubai Basketball Club (BC) has appointed M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment as its global strategic and creative agency, marking a pivotal moment in the team’s evolution as it prepares for its debut in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague in the 2025–26 season. The multi-year partnership will focus on building a globally resonant brand rooted in fan engagement, commercial storytelling and long-term market relevance.

Founded in 2023 and backed by the Dubai Sports Council, Dubai BC is the first Middle Eastern team to enter the EuroLeague, the continent’s premier basketball competition. The club secured a five-year wildcard entry in line with the league’s expansion goals, aiming to broaden its geographical and commercial reach beyond traditional European borders. The team already impressed in its inaugural season in the ABA League, reaching the semi-finals and drawing close to 80,000 spectators to the 17,000-seat Coca-Cola Arena.

The appointment of M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment is a strategic move to solidify Dubai BC’s identity on the global stage. The agency will oversee the development of the club’s brand ecosystem, managing everything from visual identity and storytelling to content production and sponsorship activations. Central to this will be M&C Saatchi’s proprietary “Fancom” methodology, a data-driven approach designed to convert audience attention into sustained loyalty and monetisable value.

Fancom has already been deployed by global brands including Coca-Cola, Adidas and the Premier League and will now be used to tailor Dubai BC’s engagement strategy to both local and international audiences. The agency will help execute the club’s EuroLeague launch campaign and support its long-term vision of becoming a globally competitive, culturally relevant basketball brand.

This appointment also reflects M&C Saatchi’s broader push into the Middle East. The agency recently acquired Dubai-based creative firm Dune23, strengthening its regional footprint and capacity to deliver campaigns that are locally informed but globally consistent. The collaboration with Dubai BC will see the agency working closely with EuroLeague officials, the Dubai Sports Council and club executives to align messaging, build market presence and engage fans across various platforms.

Dubai BC’s entry into the EuroLeague is more than a sporting milestone, it’s a cultural and commercial play that positions the UAE as an emerging force in elite basketball. With M&C Saatchi now guiding its brand trajectory, the club aims not only to compete with Europe’s best on the court but also to rival them in global fan influence and sponsorship impact.