WASHINGTON, D.C. – Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Etihad Airways announced today a multiyear extension to their legacy partnership agreement.
Since 2015, Etihad and MSE have enjoyed a highly-successful, wide-ranging partnership that has bolstered each organization’s global footprint. Etihad serves as the exclusive international airline partner of the Washington Capitals (NHL), Washington Wizards (NBA), Washington Mystics (WNBA) as well as Capital One Arena. Etihad Airways is also the official naming rights partner for the VIP lounge at Capital One Arena, which serves approximately 2,000 VIP guests and fans on Wizards and Capitals game nights.
“We are proud to continue our partnership with Etihad Airways because it holds true to our commitment to the “double bottom line” at Monumental Sports & Entertainment,” Jim Van Stone, President of Business Operations and Chief Commercial Officer at Monumental Sports & Entertainment, said. “With Etihad Airways, we found a terrific partner who has helped provide us with a platform to expand our brand globally while in turn ensuring Etihad is receiving the brand awareness they deserve in our Nation’s Capital.”
“Etihad and Monumental Sports share many of the same goals and values,” Patrick Pierce, Etihad Airways Vice President of Marketing Partnership said. “We are proud of what we have accomplished together since 2015, and we are thrilled to continue offering memorable experiences for Caps, Wizards and Mystics fans throughout the D.C. Metro Area and across our global network.”
With a focus on promoting and celebrating the international nature of sport, MSE and Etihad have worked collaboratively to create meaningful consumer experiences for key customers and frequent travelers. Additionally, the two have developed engaging content programs that include the uniquely successful ‘Hockey is for Everyone’ month activation in 2017 which brought UAE women’s hockey sensation Fatima Al Ali to the United States to practice with the Capitals. Her visit captured the imagination of hockey fans and media alike in the United States and helped promote a critical narrative for MSE and Etihad about diversity and inclusion in sports.
The activation was so successful that in February 2018, MSE and Etihad brought the entire UAE national women’s hockey team to D.C. as a follow-up to Al Ali’s visit. MSE and Etihad’s international efforts also saw Mystics coaches and players bring their talents to the UAE to host basketball clinics in a continued effort to empower women in sport.
Most recently, the partnership was named a finalist in the sponsorship category at the 2018 Leaders Sports Awards in London in October.
As part of this extension, Etihad Airways will continue to receive a variety of branding opportunities at Capital One Arena and will work with MSE to develop new content initiatives around the sports of basketball and hockey.
Washington, D.C., is a global hub for travel with three international airports and 500 international flights each week serving 64 million passengers per year. The nation’s capital is also one of four American cities served by Etihad from its home-base in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.