Disney Advertising & United Airlines Take ESPN Fantasy Football to New Heights: This Year's Televised Draft Event Includes Live Picks from 35,000 Feet on Flight Powered by Starlink Wi-Fi
United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL) and Disney Advertising are partnering to feature the 2026 ESPN Fantasy Football Draft with live picks made from 35,000 feet on a United flight using Starlink inflight Wi-Fi.
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Rhea-AI Summary
United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL) and Disney Advertising are partnering to feature the 2026 ESPN Fantasy Football Draft with live picks made from 35,000 feet on a United flight using Starlink inflight Wi-Fi. ESPN host Tyler Fulghum will draft from onboard while Field Yates, Mike Clay, Liz Loza and others participate from ESPN's Bristol studio. The event airs August 25 from 9–11 p.m. ET on ESPN and is co-streamed to the NFL on ESPN YouTube, highlighting United's Starlink Wi-Fi, now active on more than 500 United and United Express aircraft.
Details
News Market Reaction – UAL
On Aug 21, the day this news came out, UAL closed 1.31% above the previous close.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the Aug 21 session.
Key Figures
- Flight altitude
- 35,000 feet
- Live ESPN fantasy football draft
- Draft year
- 2026
- ESPN Fantasy Football Draft
- Broadcast date
- August 25
- 2026 ESPN Fantasy Football Draft
- Broadcast time
- 9 to 11 p.m. ET
- ESPN and NFL on ESPN YouTube
- Agreement year
- 2024
- United-Starlink inflight connectivity agreement
- Aircraft with Starlink
- more than 500 aircraft
- United mainline and United Express aircraft
- Audience
- millions of fans
- Fantasy Football draft day
Historical Context
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Completed first expansion phase of Denver training center with added capacity.
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Named dLocal as payment-processing partner for UATP One across emerging markets.
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Reported Q2 results above expectations and raised full-year adjusted EPS guidance.
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Introduced Economy Plus seating concept for upcoming Airbus A321XLR aircraft fleet.
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Announced new nonstop Cartagena routes from Houston and Washington, D.C., subject to approval.
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
ESPN host and fantasy expert Tyler Fulghum to take part in live draft on board a United flight while Field Yates, Mike Clay, Liz Loza and others draft from ESPN's broadcast studio in
2026 ESPN Fantasy Football Draft is scheduled for August 25 from 9 to 11 p.m. ET on ESPN and co-streamed to the NFL on ESPN YouTube
Live broadcast showcases the superior performance of the world's fastest, most reliable inflight Wi-Fi
ESPN host and fantasy expert Tyler Fulghum will be on board a United flight while NFL Insider Field Yates, Writer/Analyst Mike Clay, Fantasy/Betting Writer Liz Loza and others draft alongside him from ESPN's broadcast studio in
The 2026 ESPN Fantasy Football Draft is scheduled for August 25 from 9 to 11 p.m. ET on ESPN and co-streamed to the NFL on ESPN YouTube.
Fans who tune in to this first-of-its-kind experience also get behind-the-scenes content from ESPN's social correspondent, Omar Raja, who will capture and share the action before, during and after the flight across social channels.
"Sports fans don't want to miss the moments they care about – especially when they're traveling. Fantasy Football draft day is a can't-miss event for millions of fans, and until now, being in the air could mean handing over your picks to auto-draft. Starlink Wi-Fi on United flights is changing that," said Maggie Schmerin, United's Chief Advertising Officer. "This live draft with ESPN shows how Starlink on United is opening up a new era of possibilities on board, where moments that matter don't stop when you take off."
In addition to participating in the live broadcast, Tyler will film a new broadcast commercial on board, showcasing how fans can stay connected to the moments that matter most – even at 35,000 feet. Produced by Disney Advertising, ESPN and United, the spot will air as part of ESPN's broadcast coverage of the 2026 ESPN Fantasy Football Marathon.
In 2024, United set a new standard of inflight connectivity by signing at the time the industry's largest agreement of its kind with SpaceX to bring Starlink's fast, reliable Wi-Fi service to the airline's mainline and regional aircraft fleet, for free for MileagePlus® members. Today, Starlink is active on more than 500 United mainline and United Express® aircraft.
For more information, visit united.com.
About United
At United, Good Leads The Way. With U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".
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SOURCE United Airlines
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