Passengers on Delta Airline
Delta Air Lines is taking sports fandom to 35,000 feet with a new global partnership that will bring live sports to international flights.
Beginning this fall, customers on long-haul international routes to and from the United States will be able to watch major sporting moments live from their personal devices through Delta Sync Wi-Fi.
Under a new deal with global sports marketing agency IMG, Delta will offer access to Sport 24 and Sport 24 Extra — the first and only dedicated live sports channels available on airlines and cruise ships worldwide.
Customers can log onto Delta Sync Wi-Fi using their SkyMiles Membership and connect to a web player featuring the two channels. The service is free to join.
Sport 24 will offer round-the-clock coverage of some of the world’s most-followed competitions, including the NFL, NBA, Premier League, UEFA competitions, Formula 1 and Grand Slam tennis, with programming prioritised based on the most relevant live event at the time.
“As Delta continues to build for a more global, connected future, we’re focused on making the onboard experience more relevant to where our customers are going and what they care about,” said Ranjan Goswami, Delta’s Chief Marketing and Product Officer.
“Live sports bring people together across borders and time zones.
“The move is part of Delta’s push to become the leading premium airline for sports fans. On long-haul flights where customers often cross oceans and time zones while games unfold back home, the airline says 85% of sports fans agree that watching sports provides a sense of normalcy.
“Sport 24 offers an unmatched portfolio of live sport and we understand how important it is for passengers to have more choice in how they can experience live sport on board,” said Richard Wise, SVP Content and Channels at IMG. “We’re proud to partner with Delta to help its passengers tune into the action live, wherever they are.”
“Delta said Sport 24 expands its existing sports lineup, which on domestic flights includes FOX One streaming for NFL on FOX, MLB and NASCAR, UFC on CBS via Paramount+, Amazon Prime Thursday Night Football on Live TV-equipped aircraft, coverage from The Athletic, and its interactive SkyPicks™ game for SkyMiles Members.
The Sport 24 channels will be available exclusively through the Delta Sync Wi-Fi portal on international routes.
A Sports Desk Report