Fantasy football managers know the feeling: draft night is sacred. And this year, apparently, “I’m traveling” is officially no longer a valid excuse.
For the 2026 ESPN Fantasy Football Draft on Aug. 25 from 9-11 p.m. ET on ESPN and NFL on ESPN Youtube, ESPN host Tyler Fulghum will make his picks live from 35,000 feet aboard a United flight powered by Starlink Wi-Fi. Back on the ground, Field Yates, Mike Clay, Liz Loza and others will be drafting from ESPN’s Bristol campus.
“This experience is going to be awesome showcasing the speed and ease of Starlink Wi-Fi,” Fulghum said. “Fantasy football fans will learn that drafting your team is possible literally anywhere. Even league commissioners trying to coordinate and schedule drafts will be happier knowing your league mates can’t use travel as an excuse anymore!”
And Fulghum won’t be flying solo. Omar Raja (Commentator, Digital & Social Content) will be on board, capturing the behind-the-scenes fun for ESPN’s social channels throughout the flight.
The collaboration between ESPN, Disney Advertising and United takes one of fantasy football’s most relatable problems — trying to get everyone in the same place on draft night — and puts it to the ultimate test. Because if Tyler can draft his team from 35,000 feet, what’s your league mate’s excuse?
“This activation with United Airlines marks the beginning of a great season to come,” said Danielle Brown (Senior Vice President, Sports Brand Solutions), “and it proves how powerful best-in-class content and technology truly can be. Even before the first kickoff, we’re working with our brand partners to redefine what connecting to sports fans in real time can look like and how only Disney and ESPN are capable of producing incredible moments like this.”