Industry

Discover Airlines and NFL team Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter into partnership

Discover Airlines and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are announcing a marketing partnership: Lufthansa Group’s leisure airline that connects Germany with Tampa Bay every day and the Buccaneers, or ‘Bucs’ for short, the American football team from Tampa Bay, which plays in the National Football League (NFL).

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The partnership between Discover Airlines and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers includes joint marketing and communication activities, events and raffles for flight and game tickets. Both sides will benefit from additional visibility in their respective key markets. Germany is one of the Bucs’ key international growth markets, with a steadily growing fan base. With 20 weekly connections from Germany, Florida is one of the airline’s most important destinations. From Frankfurt, it offers the only direct connection from Germany to Tampa Bay, the home of the Bucs, who play there in the iconic Raymond James Stadium.

The partnership was announced at Tampa International Airport (TPA). In a festive ceremony, Bernd Bauer, CEO of Discover Airlines, and Bryan Glazer, owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, signed a contract that seals a multi-year partnership.

‘We dedicate this partnership to all sports enthusiasts and American football fans. Sport brings people together and creates experiences that will be remembered for a long time. There is no better place than the stadium to experience the fascination of football and the American attitude to life that goes with it. For many fans, attending an NFL game is therefore on their bucket list. As an airline that flies daily to Tampa Bay, we look forward to welcoming many fans on board in the future and taking them directly to these unique sporting events,’ says Bernd Bauer, CEO of Discover Airlines.

“This is a momentous day for the Buccaneers as we celebrate our first international partnership with a German-based organization,” said Buccaneers Owner Bryan Glazer. “Discover Airlines is an ideal partner that has been flying direct from Frankfurt to Tampa Bay for three years and will play a large role in our continuing efforts to connect with our German fans. This partnership will also benefit our entire region by generating additional interest in Tampa Bay as a vacation destination for international visitors who travel in to experience our games.”

Discover Airlines offers the most connections between Germany and Florida. There are 20 direct flights a week from Frankfurt to the Sunshine State: Tampa Bay is served daily, Orlando 10 times a week and Fort Myers 3 times a week. From summer 2025, the service will also be expanded from Munich with 3 weekly flights to Orlando.