On Tuesday, Adidas introduced a new flagship with an old friend. Soccer star David Beckham joined Adidas brand execs in Dubai for the unveiling of the city’s first HomeCourt store, an interactive brand shopping experience.
According to the German athletic label, thousands of fans turned out to get a peek at Beckham on his “whistle-stop visit,” bringing the giant Mall of Emirates to a standstill. But only 50 Instagram-contest winners got the chance to meet the sports icon as he signed autographs and posed for pictures.
It was lucky for them he could take a break from his busy schedule, which recently included filming a commercial with Kevin Hart for H&M.
In a release, Beckham said, “I always love coming to Dubai. Spending some time here today, it was great to get a sense of the energy people have for sport. In Dubai, I’ve met people from all around the world who are united in their passion for sport.”
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Adidas’ HomeCourt flagship concept is a celebration of sports and aims to take fans inside the game with an interactive experience. One key element of the more than 4,000-sq.-ft. Dubai store is the Arena Facade, featuring a stadium-inspired tunnel entrance that resembles an entry gate. Once inside the tunnel, shoppers are greeted by a “sound shower” of cheering fans.
Jason Thomas, managing director for Adidas Middle East and Northern Africa, said in a release, “The store at Mall of the Emirates is a new home for sport fans. It’s a unique place that takes the consumer experience to an entirely new level by featuring sport and passion in every single element.”
Adidas first debuted the HomeCourt concept in Beijing in early 2014 and has been rolling out additional locations worldwide.
