The New York Knicks are in the NBA Finals, and Arsenal just won the English Premier League before losing the UEFA Champions League Final.
What the teams and their achievements have in common isn't just the avid and vocal support of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, but also lucrative sponsorship deals with the United Arab Emirates.
Beyond individual teams, the NBA in recent years has signed two deals: one with the UAE's department of tourism, signed in 2021, and a sponsorship deal with Emirates Airlines, signed in 2024.
On Tuesday, advocates joined US Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern to demand that the NBA sever its partnership with the UAE, owing to the now four-year-long Sudanese civil war, and Abu Dhabi's training, logistical and financial support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which is accused of committing widespread atrocities against civilians.
Sudan remains the site of the largest continuous humanitarian and displacement crisis in the world, the non-profit Refugees International said.
