Delta's New Pitch: Fly Frequently, Get Great Parking at the Ballpark

(MoneyWatch)  Delta (DAL) has taken its sport sponsorships one step further by announcing that SkyMiles elite frequent fliers will have their own parking lot at the Atlanta Braves home stadium. This kind of benefit that extends beyond the airline is a smart move, and the sort of thing we're likely to see more of as airlines work harder to build loyalty.

Delta is taking over about 500 of the best parking spaces at Turner Field, the home of the Atlanta Braves. SkyMiles elite members will be able to park in that lot if they show their cards. Parking fees will still apply, so Delta isn't absorbing any extra costs. It just gets to provide the good spots exclusively for its best customers.

Delta has been aggressively promoting its sports sponsorships around the country. The airline believes that's good marketing, and now it's apparently aiming to get more bang for the buck by creating a customer benefit as part of the deal.

For elite members, this is a nice little perk that certainly could make the program more valuable -- at least for baseball fans in Atlanta. It also deepens the connection between the airline and its hometown sports team, which taps into a preexisting emotional bond between fans and the team that's hard to replicate.

The best part for Delta is that there's very little downside potential. Even when teams are awful (like my Diamondbacks last year), there's still a positive association. People get sad and angry, but no matter what, they love their teams. And that's powerful. You can't say that about many businesses, if any.

So Delta is smart to extend this partnership, and I have to imagine others will be looking to do the same type of effort.

Related:

• Why Airlines Bother to Sponsor Sport Teams
• Turkish Airlines Sponsorship Gets Kobe Bryant in Trouble
• How Southwest Made Hay With "Bags Fly Free"

Photo via Flickr user David Berkowitz/CC 2.0