The Park City-based organization and the airline, which has a major hub at Salt Lake City International Airport, announced the four-year sponsorship agreement on Friday.

Terms were not disclosed. Tim Mapes, Delta's vice president of marketing, described the investment as "substantive support," primarily through the provision of "in-kind" support - seats on Delta planes within the United States as well as the airline's new nonstop flight from Salt Lake City to Paris.

A Delta relationship with Air France and its partner airlines then gives skiers, snowboarders, aerialists and jumpers access to dozens of competition sites in Europe.

"The team sponsorship represents performance on an international scale," said Mapes. "The international-leading performances they are striving for are the same as Delta's aspirations. We share a philosophy of being about global performance."

Bill Marolt, president of the 30,000-member strong USSA, said the sponsorship has practical value beyond linking two Utah-concentrated organizations pursuing similar goals.

"Clearly they're a strong, local partner, which means we'll get great service for our athletes and coaches," he said. "We spend a great deal of time on the road. The easier we can make travel, the better it is for our athletes. It enhances our athletic opportunities."

For its investment, Delta will have an on-site advertising presence at venues where Ski and Snowboard team members are competing. Delta will also pair team coaches and athletes with customers and guests at clinics at those venues, and will use them in meet-and-greet sessions with customers and employees in select Delta Crown Rooms Clubs and airport lobbies, said airline spokesman Anthony Black.

"We try to make sure Delta is present in areas that matter to our customers, supporting causes that are meaningful, altruistic or something they like to participate in, like skiing," said Mapes.

For the USSA, Marolt said "this gives us a great chance to showcase the athletes, which is critical to them. As we do that, it gives us great networking opportunities to find other supporters of our organization."

Delta previously was a national level sponsor for the 2002 Winter Olympics. United Airlines was formerly the USSA's airline sponsor.

mikeg@sltrib.com