Delta Air Lines signed a deal to become EPL club Chelsea's official airline sponsor. Per the deal, Delta will receive LED exposure during homes games, a presence on the club's website and the Delta logo appearing on media backboards for interviews conducted at Stamford Bridge. Additionally, the airline will receive Delta-branded hospitality space at Stamford Bridge's Millennium Hotel (Delta Air Lines). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Ben Kesling reports Delta signed a "two-year deal with Chelsea." Soccer's "huge popularity in much of the world and its fast-growing following in Asia have already made it a magnet for international carriers looking to raise their profile." Sponsorship analysis firm Int'l Market Reports Editorial Dir Simon Rines said, "Airline advertising [in club soccer] is an area that's growing. It's driven by the Middle Eastern carriers, and I suspect it will be driven by emerging airlines in Asia." Chelsea is "hugely popular in London, a major Delta destination." Chelsea will be the featured opponent in the '12 MLS All-Star Game on July 25 and the team will play three other exhibition matches in the U.S. as part of the World Football Challenge, "creating immediate overlap between domestic and international exposure" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/26).
