The Utah Jazz regular season began Wednesday night marking the official return of the Delta Center to Salt Lake City since the naming rights partnership between the Jazz and Delta Air Lines was made official in July.

Business

‘Delta Center’ returns to Salt Lake City

Marking a first in sports history, the Delta Center name returns to home arena of the Utah Jazz with external branding installation complete and interior upgrades underway with community investment and fan engagement at the center of expanded partnership heading into the team’s 50th anniversary season.

Earlier in the day, Delta and the Jazz jointly commemorated the milestone with a festive ribbon cutting ceremony and press conference. In partnership with Jazz leadership and alongside notable government leaders from Utah, members of Delta’s Salt Lake City employee base, and local nonprofit partners, Delta CEO Ed Bastian shared remarks together with Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith to mark the special occasion.

“When the Delta name left this arena many years ago, it was always our goal to bring this partnership back and return to Salt Lake City. It is a full circle moment to be here today, celebrating another milestone marking our support and dedication to this market alongside Ryan, Ashley and the entire Utah Jazz family,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “On behalf of our 5,000 employees based in Utah and 90,000 employees globally, I want to thank the Jazz for their partnership in getting us to this moment. Go Jazz, Go Delta and Keep Climbing!”

“Welcoming the Delta Center back to Salt Lake City is a moment I will never forget and an incredible milestone for this organization and every Utah Jazz fan,” said Ryan Smith, governor of the Utah Jazz. “This doesn’t happen without the partnership we have built with Ed Bastian and the incredible leadership team at Delta. Delta understands the value of investing in this community and as the gateway to Utah, we cannot imagine having another name besides Delta’s on the building that is the home of the Utah Jazz.”

In early 2023, Delta announced it would reunite with the Utah Jazz as a naming rights partner and Official Airline of the Utah Jazz, adding to its ongoing role as an Official Community Partner of the team and underscoring its continued investments in Salt Lake City.

About Delta

The Delta Center returns to Utah under new agreement with Utah Jazz

This agreement is a homecoming for Delta, harkening back to the arena’s original opening in 1991 when the airline held the naming rights as part of its first sponsorship with the NBA franchise. Within the long-term agreement, Delta will serve as the Official Airline of the Utah Jazz, adding to its current role as an Official Community Partner of the team.

Following the ribbon cutting on Wednesday, guests of the event toured arena upgrades that were completed during the offseason, including the completely remodeled broadcast studio on Level 5, renamed “Delta Studios,” that will host production for all Utah Jazz pre-game, halftime and post-game shows, and the Delta Sky360® Club, an invitation-only club located on level one of the arena, that offers elevated food and beverage options and a newly updated and designed space to watch the game.  

Later that evening, fans enjoyed the first home game of the season featuring Delta-branded in-game activations and a special golden basketball presentation to Ed Bastian from Ryan Smith. Across Salt Lake City, community partners of Delta and the Jazz hosted several watch parties for fans and community members to catch the first home game. These partners included JA Utah, Primary Children’s and YMCA of Northern Utah.

As the Jazz head into their 50^th anniversary season as an NBA franchise, Delta will continue to support the team through a variety of joint activations, including programming for Salt Lake City and Utah residents, opportunities for fan engagement and by carrying the team as the Official Airline of the Utah Jazz.   

Whether on the court, in the community or in the skies, Delta is committed to Keep Climbing alongside the Utah Jazz and our Salt Lake City customers and employees.

Delta in SLC

Delta operates more flights out of SLC than any other airline combined, serving close to 30,000 customers daily with more than 230 peak-day flights to 92 destinations. The airline has invested more than $12 billion in airport projects coast-to-coast in the last 10 years, doubling down on its vision for the future of travel by building airports that are comfortable, easy to navigate and part of an effortlessly connected journey.

Earlier this year, Delta further cemented its position as the leading global carrier in SLC with a new lease agreement with Salt Lake City that increases Delta’s gate count from 55 to 66, with an anticipated completion in 2027. In June of this year, Delta also broke ground on a new pilot training facility, marking the first training facility investment outside of its Atlanta headquarters since 1968.