Emirates, the airline of the United Arab Emirates, was announced as the sponsor and official airline of the BNP Paribas Open.
The BNP Paribas, which is the most attended professional tennis event outside of the sport's four major tournaments, is set for March 8-21 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
"The BNP Paribas Open is very pleased to begin this partnership with Emirates," tournament director Steve Simon said Wednesday. "They are a marquee brand looking to leverage their sponsorship by engaging fans throughout the entire event, which is something we are always looking for in a sponsor."
The sponsorship agreement, which will run through 2012, is the airline's third sports sponsorship in the United States -- including the USA Rugby National Sevens Team and the Breeders Cup.
The airline will be given prominent on-court signage, broadcast spots and other advertising during the BNP tournament.
"Our sponsorship of the BNP Paribas Open underlines Emirates' commitment to sport in the United States," said Nigel Page, the airline's senior vice president of commercial operations for the Americas and Africa. "We have been a sponsor of major sporting events for more than 20 years and believe they provide a great platform to connect with our customers."
Emirates is also sponsoring the Rogers Cup in Toronto and the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Defending champions Rafael Nadal and Vera Zvonareva are set to return to the tournament in the spring, along with hundreds of the best men and women's tennis players.
