Coldplay and Messi: How UAE attracts the best of both worlds

What is it about live events that can set the pulses racing? Music lovers, of course, can never resist an opportunity to be there when Pink Floyd belts out High Hopes with the piano and guitar dancing in tandem with heavenly vocals.

Or imagine the euphoria among football fans when Pep Guardiola’s majestic Barcelona team, with a young Lionel Messi the linchpin, arrived on these shores to unleash ‘tiki-taka’ (a style of play in football based on spellbinding passes) at the 2009 Fifa Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi.

No wonder tickets to such events can bring that million-dollar smile to your face.

For the past few weeks, music lovers in the UAE have been swept away by the Coldplay wave.

While some lucky fans of the British rock band with tickets in their hands are smiling from ear to ear, many have been left with broken hearts.

Despite the extended shows next January, it proved nigh impossible for most to reach the finish line in the race for those online tickets.

Leen Haffar, a Syrian expat, was brimming with excitement when the Coldplay shows were announced.

But all the efforts of her friends to get tickets were in vain.

“It was a very stressful experience as we didn’t manage to get tickets despite being in the online queue for many hours. It was very disappointing for us because Coldplay is on our bucket list,” she said.

But Leen, who moved to Dubai eight years ago in the middle of a deadly civil war in Syria, thanks her lucky stars every day for being a resident in the UAE —a country that hosts high-profile global sporting events apart from attracting some of the most famous singers and bands to this melting pot of cultures.

NBA Abu Dhabi

Last week, Leen drove to Abu Dhabi to experience what it is like to be among thousands of crazy basketball fans inside the Etihad Arena for the NBA pre-season game between Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets.

“The NBA Abu Dhabi was one of the best experiences that I have had in my life so far. The atmosphere was incredible, the crowd was huge, and I even saw celebrities like Ronaldinho in the stadium,” she said.

“You know I come from Syria where basketball is very popular, but we don’t have these huge stadiums like the Etihad Arena. I watched some local basketball matches in my country, but it doesn’t compare to how huge it was (in Abu Dhabi) and how organised it was. So, I feel very happy to be living in the UAE because I love to attend these events.”

Among the big sports events Leen has attended in the UAE is the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships — an award-winning tournament that has over the years attracted iconic names like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi, the Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis and Maria Sharapova.

This tournament has also attracted fans from foreign countries during the two weeks of tennis every year.

“Dubai is known for its vibrant and diverse sports community, with fans who enjoy attending live events. As the host city of numerous world-class sporting events, we consistently see high demand (for tickets),” Ramesh Cidambi, managing director of Dubai Duty Free and chairman of Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Organising Committee, told the Khaleej Times.

“Another key factor driving this demand is the influx of international fans, attracted by Dubai’s renowned attractions and excellent connectivity, which allows them to fully enjoy their time in the city.”

After-race concerts

A month before Chris Martin and his band of brothers take the stage for the four concerts next January, the who’s who of motorsports will arrive in Abu Dhabi for another round of thrilling Formula One races.

Steven Umfreville, commercial executive director, Ethara, the group responsible for F1 ticket sales at Yas Marina, says the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race weekend was attended by more than 170,000 fans, ‘making it the largest Formula One event in the Middle East to date’.

The demand for tickets reaches fever pitch when the F1 Drivers’ World Championships battle goes down to the wire, with the winner hoisting the trophy at the Yas Marina, the venue for the final race of the season every year.

“When the championship title is on the line, the excitement and demand for tickets naturally sees a surge. During the (World Championship) showdown between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in 2021, over 108,000,000 people tuned in to watch the race in Abu Dhabi, making it the most-watched race of the entire year,” said Umfreville.

The icing on the cake for fans during the race weekend is the evening music concerts which have seen some of the biggest global names over the years.

This year’s list also includes Eminem as fans with F1 tickets will get free access to all after-race concerts.

“At the Abu Dhabi GP, we have always believed in delivering more than just a race. It’s about creating a full weekend experience that celebrates sport, culture, and entertainment all in one,” said Umfreville.

Global hub

Filipina expat Mary Jane Manalo may not have attended any big sports events, but in less than three months, she will be among the roaring crowd at the Etihad Arena when Coldplay rocks the stage.

“Getting those tickets was such a big struggle, but now I am so excited. Coldplay is one of the concerts you don’t want to miss,” said Mary who cannot imagine starting and ending her day without music.

“I watched them live at Expo 2020 Dubai, but whenever an iconic band like Coldplay returns to perform, you can’t help but want to experience it again.”

Chelsea fan Mark Conlon, who was in the crowd at Allianz Arena, Munich, when the Blues famously beat Bayern Munich in the 2012 Champions League final, has seen how the marquee names from the music industry can captivate an audience.

“I have seen Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Lionel Richie, Madonna and Rod Stewart at Wembley,” the British expat said.

“So, watching him live and attending the Guns N’ Roses concert with Slash and Axl Rose in tandem will always be among the greatest moments in my life!”