As cricket’s Asia Cup takes centerstage in the UAE, we examine the performance and role of local facilities and the economy in making the country a world-class destination for sport
The recent clash between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium enjoyed sold-out crowds. Courtesy Gulf News.
August and September mark the high-point of the traditional cricket season and this year is no different. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong go head-to-head in the UAE to be crowned Asian champions. And it is fitting that the UAE plays host. It is, after all, in Sharjah that the Asia Cup was instituted in 1984.
A Global Leader
The tournament’s previous edition in 2018 was also staged in the UAE and this is indicative of a larger trend. The IPL, Formula 1 and horse racing’s Dubai World Cup are but a few events that highlight the country’s status as an international sporting destination.
Facilities matter. In Dubai alone, advanced sporting infrastructure has seen the city regularly facilitate training camps for medal-winning Olympians and industry leaders like Manchester United. Dubai is also the permanent home of the International Cricket Council. With more than 350 registered companies organising events and camps, the city’s yearly event calendar attracts in excess of 1 million spectators.
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of many sporting celebrities to be awarded the coveted Golden Visa. Courtesy Gulf News
The recently announced Golden Visa reforms have also majorly boosted brand U.A.E., with varied stars from Cristiano Ronaldo to Novak Djokovic taking advantage.
The Economics of Sport
A statement by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, lays bare sport’s impact. As of 2021, the sector contributes AED 4 billion (US$ 1.08 billion) to Dubai’s economy per year, with 90% of the event sector’s direct impact on the Dubai economy mined from 7 annual sporting events.
This surge in sporting fortunes is the result of world-class infrastructure and programmes. Recent figures show that more than 20,000 people are employed in the city’s sports sector, while the government itself has supported by unveiling pandemic-related stimulus packages worth AED 7.1 billion (USD 1.9 billion).
The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship has long attracted the world’s leading golf players, an indicator of the country’s standing in the sport. Pictured here is Rory McIlroy in 2021. Courtesy The Guardian.
This has resulted in tangible advancements in sports not previously in vogue. Though the UAE was a pioneer in Middle Eastern golf with the advent of the Dubai Desert Classic in 1989, the sport has grown exponentially in recent years. Dubai alone welcomes more than 16,000 golfers annually; the UAE can boast of coveted titles like the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the DP World Tour Championship. Golf infuses approximately AED 990 million (USD 270 million) of gross expenditure to the Dubai sports economy, out of which almost half is from outside the UAE’s borders.
The glitz and glamour of the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, still wildly popular in its 13th year. Courtesy Motor Sport Magazine.
Similarly, the 2021-22 motorsport season brought in AED 17.9 million (USD 4.87 million) for the UAE, significant for a burgeoning sport. Concurrently, between November 2021 and March 2022, more than 20,000 sold-out hotel rooms and AED 6 million (USD 1.63 million) from inbound flights are directly attributable to the sport. Notwithstanding F1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the UAE boasts an enviable motorsport roster that includes the Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East and the Gulf Historic Dubai GP Revival.
