Ravi Bhusari and Derv Rao tell Wamda (http://www.wamda.com) how they started the web company Duplays (http://duplays.com) to help residents of Dubai and Abu Dhabi connect and organize after-work sports activities. They describe how Duplays works to break down social barriers in the UAE.

Hey sport lovers!

This is it, your last chance to join one of DUPLAYS 30+ new sport leagues in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. New leagues begin next week — January 24th! If you haven’t yet, sign up now! …or wait until April.

This Wednesday and Saturday night we will be accepting payment (cash/cheque only) at two locations listed below. Paying this Wed or Sat guarantees your team’s (or individual) spot in the league. Teams paying in full will receive their DUPLAYS team shirts on a first-to-pay, first-to-choose basis for team shirt colours & sizes.

Payment times & locations
In Dubai at Barasti Bar, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi (Dubai Marina)
Wednesday, January 20, 7-10pm OR Saturday, January 23, 5-8pm. You are invited to come and play beach volleyball (after paying!) during those times.

In Abu Dhabi at Reem Dome @ Rawdhat (across from Zayed Sports City, off Airport Rd; if leaving Abu Dhabi then left at first lights after Carrefour).
Wednesday, January 20, 6-9pm OR Saturday, January 23, 5-8pm.

Some more notes

• Want to pay by credit card? You can! Just goto http://DUPLAYS.com, login and click the link under “my leagues”. On the league page scroll down and click the large black button that says “update my league settings”. From there you can select PayPal and use a credit card to pay.
• If you are an individual (you don’t know your team yet), your team shirts will be provided on day 1 of league play but payment must be made at one of the locations above in advance to secure your spot!
• What if you don’t pay for your league before the start date? Your spot cannot be guaranteed until payment. Also, top choices for shirt sizes and colours may no longer be available. It’s best to pay this week. Make it a fun team night out!

Team Members
All members of a team must sign up for the league online, to be eligible to play.
Why? All communications (last minute updates, scheduling, standings) are sent only to league members. Also, there is an online waiver that must be accepted in order to play.

Schedules, Rosters (Teams), Standings
Schedules and Rosters will be posted 48 hours before league start date (please check your starting dates on the league page, they may have been adjusted). Each league will send a mailer to league members only the night before games begin.

See you soon, on the court/field/sand/pitch!

Team DUPLAYS.com

Happy New Year!

Want to get fit in 2010? Looking to meet more people and make new friends? Tired of
the same old ‘after work’ routine?

If the answer is YES then joining one of our DUPLAYS nightly sport leagues is for you!

http://DUPLAYS.com

DUPLAYS has 30+ new sport leagues in 15 sports to help you keep your New Year’s resolutions. There are team sports for both recreational and competitive players, men’s, women’s and mixed sports at various levels of play so you can find something that suits your needs. A full listing of all leagues is here for Dubai and for Abu Dhabi.

Create your own team…

• Recruit your friends to play and look forward to a weekly run around
• Get your company involved: contact corporate@duplays.com
• Don’t have enough players for a full team? No worries, enter a partial team and we’ll fill the remaining spots

Need a team?

• If you don’t have a team yet, just sign up online and we’ll place you on one

New sports: ball hockey, handball, tennis & squash will each begin if we get a great response. So sign up and recruit more players to get these leagues started!

We’re hiring referees and admins for many leagues. Meet people and make some extra income. Apply online.

Not interested in weekly sports leagues? Perhaps a single-day or weekend eventinvolving sport or activity is what your company needs to rediscover that competitive fire! Contact corporate@duplays.com for ideas on events that will suit your needs.

Leagues are filling up fast!

Sign up NOW if you want to participate this season! (…or wait until April 2010!)

Team DUPLAYS

If you’re planning a sport event in the UAE and want 9,500+ users on DUPLAYS.com to know about it, let us know!

We’re looking to add more content that is relevant and interesting for our users. Submit your event here:  http://duplays.com/new-event

Just posted: NEW Dubai & Abu Dhabi sport leagues, Oct-Dec 2009. Sign up now!

DUPLAYS “Fall Season” of adult recreational and competitive sports has now been posted. Leagues begin either next week or the first week of October so sign up NOW to secure your spot!

Every team that signs up for a sport this season will receive our new “DUPLAYS Sport & Social” team shirts (six team color options: green, yellow, black, white, blue, or grey). Shirts are included in your league fees. The earlier you sign up the greater the chance you will get your 1st color choice and size.

Leagues are either 8 or 10 weeks long, with teams playing 1 night per week. This means it’s your last chance to sign up for a social sport before we start up again in Jan 2010!

Select your city to jump to DUPLAYS leagues where you live: Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

Dubai

Men’s Leagues

• American Flag Football “Any Given Monday” League (competitive 7′s, Tue *new night*)
• Basketball “He Got Game V” League (competitive 5′s, on Mon )
• Basketball “Elite Ballers” League (competitive 5′s, on Wed)
• Football (Soccer) “7 Wonders Division 1″ League (competitive 7′s, on Tue/Fri/Sat)
• Football (Soccer) “7 Wonders Division 2″ League (competitive 7′s, on Mon/Thu/Sat)
• Softball “DSL Men A Division” League (competitive 10′s, on Thu)
• Softball “DSL Men B Division” League (recreational 10′s, on Sat)

Women’s Leagues

• Basketball “Lady Hoopers V” League (recreational 5′s, on Tue)
• Football “Indoor 5v5 Futsal” League (recreational 5′s, on Sun)
• Netball “Pass Shoot Score” League (competitive 7′s, on Sun)
• Netball “Pass, Pass, Shoot IV” League (recreational 7′s, on Mon)
• Softball “Women’s Division” League (recreational 10′s, on Wed)

Mixed Leagues (men & women playing together)

• Badminton “Bye Bye Birdie” League (recreational 2′s, on Sat)
• Dodgeball “Duck, Dip, Dive II” League (recreational 7′s on Sun)
• Landsailing *new sport* “Blokart Racing” League (recreational on Sat)
• Softball “Swing Batter” League (recreational 10′s, on Tue *new night*)
• Touch Rugby “Can’t Touch This!” League (competitive 6′s, on Mon)
• Touch Rugby “Try This!” League (recreational 6′s, on Tue)
• Ultimate Frisbee “Flying Saucers V” League (recreational 7′s, on Mon *new night*)
• Volleyball: Beach “Super Social V” League (recreational 6′s, on Tue/Wed)
• Volleyball: Indoor “Hittas & Misstas” League (competitive 6′s, on Tue)

Click here for a current listing of ALL Dubai sport leagues.

Abu Dhabi

Men’s Leagues

• American Flag Football “Any Given Tuesday” League (competitive 7′s, on Mon)
• Basketball “Hoop Dreams” League (competitive 5′s, on Mon )
• Cricket “Global  Eye 20/20″ League (recreational 11′s, on Tue)
• Football (Soccer) “5th Element” League (competitive 5′s, on Sun/Mon/Tue/Wed/Sat)

Women’s Leagues

• Basketball “Lady Ballers” League (recreational 5′s, on Tue)
• Football “5 on 5 Football” League *new league* (recreational 5′s, on Sun)

Mixed Leagues (men & women playing together)

• Dodgeball “Dodge This!” League (recreational 7′s on TBD)
• Kayaking *new sport* “Mangrove & Island Kayak Tours” (recreational on Tue/Wed/Sat)
• Touch Rugby “Try This!” League (recreational 6′s, on Tue)
• Ultimate Frisbee “Disc-No-Ball III” League (recreational 7′s, on Tue)
• Volleyball: Beach “Social Side Out” League (recreational 6′s, on Sun)

Click here for current listing of ALL Abu Dhabi sport leagues.

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A few things to note:

• Each week you will play in the same location (so please check location maps) and timings may or may not change each week (in order for you to play other teams).
• League format is that each team plays ONCE a week for say 8-10 weeks. Some leagues (i.e. basketball, football, netball) will play one game per night during a 50-60 minute slot while other leagues (beach volleyball, touch rugby, ultimate frisbee, dodgeball) may play two or three games per night during a 60 minute slot.
• If you are signing up as part of a set team, every team member (not just captains) must sign up for the specific league they are participating in this season.
• Our leagues are for those looking to stay active and increase their social network. Although some of our leagues are competitive, the main goal of all DUPLAYS leagues is to bring you fun, affordable, well-organized social sport on your weeknights!
• We have different levels of play (Recreational, Competitive) depending on your skill level. Pick what’s right for you.
• Smile. The summer heat has ended and it’s time to play outdoors again!
• Are you looking to be an administrator or referee for a sport? Click here to apply. Get a chance to meet lots of people and get paid while doing it. Plus, there are a few other additional perks that we will let you know about once you are selected.
• Sponsorship. Does your company want to get involved in sponsoring DUPLAYS sports, leagues, or overall?  We’re looking for a few select sponsors.  Click here for more info.

See you on the court, field, or sand this season!

Team DUPLAYS

Do U PLAYS Sports?! DUPLAYS is the UAE’s largest sport and social club.
Play sport. Be social.  DUPLAYS.com

Are you looking to affiliate your brand with a fun, energetic, health-focused company in the UAE? We have a number of sponsorship levels that may match your company’s objectives. With 8,300+ members (and rapidly expanding), sponsor DUPLAYS and grow with us. We’re offering four levels of sponsorship:

1. Official Partner - be one of our only four Official Partners!

Official partners are ideal for major verticals such as retail banking, automotive/car rental, telecom, airline, beverage, gaming, insurance, etc.

2. Sport/Category Sponsor – a flexible way to get your brand out to our captive audience of active, young professionals! Sponsor competitive men’s and women’s sports, recreational mixed sports – or unique sports such as dodgeball or Ultimate Frisbee!

3. Official Supplier – Does your company have a product or service that is a perfect fit for our members? Become an official supplier to DUPLAYS!

4. Social Partner – Think our members are missing out on a great night at your F&B outlet? Become a social partner and let them more easily discover it themselves!

Support DUPLAYS as we strive to improve community fitness and cultural understanding through the power of sport.

For DUPLAYS company information, demographic data, and more details on sponsorship packages, please click here.

Contact sponsorship@duplays.com.

If you can’t view the slide deck at the link above, would like a PDF emailed to you directly, or have any other questions or comments, please email sponsorship@duplays.com.

Sign up to play in a “Ramadan” league today!

DUPLAYS is glad to announce its August and September sport leagues for Dubai and Abu Dhabi. During Ramadan the workdays are shorter, so take advantage of the extra time to get more active AND increase your social network. Join a team sport and be social!

Select your city to jump to DUPLAYS leagues where you live: Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

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Dubai

Ramadan Dubai Leagues (2x per week, for 4 weeks)

• Beach Volleyball “Ramadan” League (mixed, recreational, 6′s)
• Football “Ramadan Indoor” Sun/Tue League (men’s, competitive, 5′s)
• Football “Ramadan Indoor” Mon/Wed League (men’s, competitive, 5′s)
• Touch Rugby “Ramadan” League (mixed, recreational, 6′s)
• Ultimate Frisbee “Ramadan” League (mixed, recreational, 7′s)

Regular Dubai Leagues (1x per week, for 8-10 weeks)

• Badminton “Bye Bye Birdie” League (mixed, recreational, 2′s)
• Basketball “He Got Game IV” League (men’s competitive, 5′s)
• Basketball “Lady Hoopers IV” League (women’s, recreational, 5′s)
• Dodgeball “Duck, Dip, Dive II” League (mixed, recreational, 7′s)
• Netball “Pass, Pass, Shoot III” League (women’s, recreational, 7′s)
• Netball “Super Social II” League (mixed, recreational, 7′s)
• Softball “Swing Batter” League (mixed, recreational, 10′s)

For a calendar listing of all DUPLAYS Dubai sport leagues, with facility details, click here.

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Abu Dhabi

Ramadan Abu Dhabi Leagues (2x per week, for 4 weeks)

• Ultimate Frisbee “Ramadan” League (mixed, recreational, 7′s)

Regular Abu Dhabi Leagues (1x per week, for 8-10 weeks)

• American Flag Football “Any Given Sunday” League (men’s, competitive, 7′s)
• Basketball “Hoop Dreams II” League (men’s, recreational, 5′s)
• Basketball “Lady Ballers” League (women’s, recreational, 5′s)
• Beach Volleyball “Social Side Out” League (mixed, recreational, 6′s)
• Cricket “Global Eye 20/20″ League (men’s, recreational, 11′s)
• Dodgeball “Dodge This!” League (mixed, recreational, 7′s)
• Football “Seventh Heaven” League (men’s, competitive, 7′s)
• Touch Rugby “Try This” League (mixed, recreational, 6′s)

For a calendar listing of all DUPLAYS Abu Dhabi sport leagues, with facility details, click here.

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Do U PLAYS Sports?!
DUPLAYS is the UAE’s largest sport and social club.  www.DUPLAYS.com
Play sport. Be social.

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With DUPLAYS 1st ever Social Event / beach party on June 5th, we’ve been sorting through our best photos from past seasons.  We’ve got photos of recent champions in many sports, some even dating back to late 2007, when DUPLAYS began.  If you have some more great photos please email them to photos@duplays.com.

All DUPLAYS photos are available on Facebook (direct link) and also from the DUPLAYS.com Facebook group. Tag yourself and your teammates! Also, photos are posted on Picasaweb.

We hope you enjoy these slideshows from each photo gallery below:

American Flag Football

Basketball, Men’s

Basketball, Women’s

Beach Volleyball

Cricket

Dodgeball

Football, Men’s

Football, NikeFive Indoor

Netball

Softball

Touch Rugby

Ultimate Frisbee

Please send us your photos: photos@duplays.com
View all open leagues and sign up today to play: play in Dubai or play in Abu Dhabi.

Are you a referee and looking for some additional ways to make some money, and get yelled at? Immediately, we are looking for qualified referees in both Dubai & Abu Dhabi for:

• football (soccer)
• touch rugby
• basketball
• netball
• and more…

Are you passionate about a sport and want the chance to meet others who share your passion?  Be a league admin and get paid for it.

Apply  Here

DUPLAYS first league to launch in Abu Dhabi did so with a flourish of spinning runs, slashing cuts, interceptions, and touch downs.  Six teams laced up their cleats and enjoyed recreational flag football action.  Here are a few photos from the opener.

From American Flag Football

From American Flag Football

From American Flag Football

From American Flag Football

One team needs several more individual players, so if you want in on the action it’s not too late, sign up online here: http://duplays.com/flag-football/?loc=AbuDhabi