ESPN’s 2026 Fantasy Football Draft will feature a live pick transmitted from a United Airlines aircraft flying at 35,000 feet, marking the first time a draft pick is made from an in-flight environment.
The draft, scheduled for Monday, Aug. 25 from 9 to 11 p.m. ET, will be broadcast on ESPN and co-streamed to the NFL on ESPN’s YouTube channel. Host Tyler Fulghum will participate from aboard the United flight, while analysts including NFL Insider Field Yates, Mike Clay, and Liz Loza will draft from ESPN’s studio in Bristol, Connecticut. Omar Raja will document the in-flight experience for social media.
The initiative highlights United’s Starlink inflight Wi-Fi service, which enables real-time broadcasting from the aircraft. United signed a 2024 agreement with SpaceX to equip its mainline and regional fleet with Starlink, now active on more than 500 aircraft. The service is provided at no cost to MileagePlus members.
Disney Advertising, ESPN, and United will also film a broadcast commercial aboard the flight, set to air during ESPN’s coverage of the 2026 ESPN Fantasy Football Marathon. United Chief Advertising Officer Maggie Schmerin said fantasy football draft day is a major event for millions of fans, noting that in-flight participation was previously impossible without auto-draft.
