Press Release
JAL Chosen as Official Airline of International Basketball Federation
~ JAL to support basketball competitions for achieving a more successful Tokyo 2020 ~
Tokyo August 06, 2015: Japan Airlines (JAL) has signed a FIBA Global Partnership Agreement with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to become its Official Airline between August 2015 and December 2016.
As FIBA’s Official Airline, JAL will be actively supporting basketball competitions held worldwide ahead of the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, acting as a global partner of Continental Championships and Rio Olympic preliminary round matches sponsored by FIBA and FIBA continental confederations.
JAL has been actively involved in promoting basketball in Japan as a partner of Japan Basketball Association since 2000. The airline is providing safe and comfortable air transport services and supporting Japan’s national teams who challenge themselves against the world’s top teams. With more than 450 million basketball players globally, basketball has become one of the world’s most popular sports. Supporting basketball on a global scale will contribute to further promoting this sport, the airline decided to cosponsor FIBA competitions.
By signing this global partnership agreement, JAL will extend its full support in transporting FIBA personnel using the airline’s experience accumulated in Japan. Additionally through supporting FIBA’s Continental Championships, the airline will deliver and convey the distinct and uniquely Japanese values of the JAL Brand, “Tradition, Innovation and the Spirit of Japan,” to customers worldwide.
“Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world with fans in every corner of the globe. We are very happy to be able to support the game of basketball on a global scale,” said Yoshiharu Ueki, President of Japan Airlines. “Japan Airlines is an Official Airline Partner of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and we hope to use the synergies of both properties to their fullest potential to promote the beautiful game of basketball from Japan to the world.”
JAL believes that the power of sports, which deliver dreams, hope and courage to people, will activate society and contribute to the peace of world. In addition to basketball, JAL will be striving to support different kinds of sports in order to contribute to a greater success of Tokyo 2020.
