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A nationwide air traffic halt ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday created significant travel uncertainty for college and professional sports teams across the United States. The disruption came ahead of a packed weekend featuring college football, college basketball, NBA games, NHL matchups, and a full slate of NFL games.
FAA Ground Stop and Transportation Secretary Response
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced via social media that the FAA had implemented a nationwide ground stop for all domestic airports while technicians investigated a communication issue affecting Air Route Traffic Control Centers. Speaking later at a White House news conference about four hours after the initial announcement, Duffy confirmed that the halt had been lifted and flights were beginning to resume. Duffy emphasized that safety remained the primary concern regarding fans and travelers.
During the White House briefing, Duffy addressed universities relying on charter travel, stating that they would be handled similarly to other large groups. When asked about college football teams trying to reach games on Saturday, he advised universities to contact the FAA directly to schedule flights and ensure games could proceed.
SEC Reschedules Ole Miss at Oklahoma Game
The travel disruptions forced the Southeastern Conference to postpone the game between Ole Miss and Oklahoma from Saturday to Sunday at Memorial Stadium. Ole Miss was unable to depart from Oxford on Friday night, pushing their scheduled flight to Saturday afternoon. The decision drew a strong objection from Oklahoma, with athletic director Roger Denny stating that SEC commissioner Greg Sankey informed them that failing to play at the directed time on Sunday would result in a forfeit. Denny criticized the decision as unfair to athletes and the university, while the SEC officially confirmed the new kickoff time with television coverage still to be determined.
Teams Adjust Travel Plans and Game Times
Numerous athletic programs and professional franchises scrambled to find alternative travel methods or adjust schedules. The Cleveland Cavaliers stayed in Miami overnight and planned to fly on Saturday morning for their home game against Dallas, while the Chicago Bulls similarly delayed their flight to Minnesota. In the NWSL, the Kansas City Current boarded a charter flight to New York City for their semifinal against Gotham FC before being forced to deplane due to the indefinite delay.
Several college football programs opted for alternative transport, with Tulane, Purdue, Auburn, and North Texas choosing to travel by bus. Tulane embarked on a five-hour drive to Houston to face Rice. Other schools, including Kansas State, Baylor, and Arizona State, shifted their hopes to Saturday morning flights, though Baylor’s matchup against BYU cannot be moved to Sunday due to religious reasons. Meanwhile, teams such as Washington, Tennessee, Oregon State, and Colorado State successfully secured flights out on Friday night, while No. 2 Utah decided against flying out Friday night for their game against No. 23 Arizona.
