The nationwide FAA ground stop that halted domestic flights for more than four hours on Friday has been lifted. Its effects, though, are still disrupting travel for families, teams and others across the sports world.
The stoppage came before a busy weekend of college football, NBA and NHL games. The FAA said a communications failure at regional air traffic control centers had led to “extraordinary circumstances.” More than 2,500 flights were canceled, with many more delayed, leaving a backlog even after departures resumed.
College football
Some teams were already airborne or had departed before the stop began, and they reached their destinations safely. Missouri, headed to Georgia; Duke, traveling to Miami; and No. 10 Texas Tech, bound for Oklahoma State, were among them. All teams traveling in the ACC also made it to their destinations.
Auburn, unable to fly to Mississippi State, made the trip by bus instead. The game’s kickoff was moved from noon to 4:15 p.m.
Several other games were rescheduled. Kansas and West Virginia will now kick off at 3:30 p.m., while Baylor’s game against No. 10 BYU has been moved to 7 p.m.
Arizona State’s trip to UCF has also changed. The Sun Devils had been scheduled to fly Friday, but the team got off the plane and returned home. They are now set to fly across the country Saturday, with kickoff moved from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Saturday’s game between No. 19 Ole Miss and Oklahoma has been postponed until Sunday at 1 p.m. Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny said Ole Miss could not arrange travel on Friday, and that SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey moved the game to Sunday despite Oklahoma’s strong objection. Denny also said Sankey warned that refusing to play at the assigned time would result in a forfeit.
For now, the rest of the weekend’s schedule remains to be seen.
NFL
NFL teams are still expected to travel on Saturday as planned, but the league has changed some officiating assignments for Week 10. Officials have been reassigned to games within driving distance of their hometowns because of the ongoing disruptions to air travel.
The changes also mean three backup referees will work games: Barry Anderson, Duane Heydt and Don Willard. Heydt is set to serve as umpire for Carolina-New Orleans, while Anderson will umpire Jacksonville-Tennessee. Anderson is also listed as a side judge for Miami-Indianapolis on Sunday afternoon and Pittsburgh-Cincinnati on Sunday night.
NBA
Five NBA games are scheduled for Saturday. The Detroit Pistons reached Miami on Friday, but the Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls and Memphis Grizzlies all played Friday night and were due to travel afterward.
The Cavaliers lost to Miami, 133-121, and are scheduled to host Dallas. They could not fly home Friday and are expected to travel Saturday morning. Donovan Mitchell called the situation “unprecedented” and said he hopes the game will be canceled.
NHL
Fourteen NHL games are on Saturday’s schedule. Most teams have arrived, but the San Jose Sharks had not yet left for their game against the Utah Mammoth and were still waiting for details on when they could travel to Salt Lake City.
College basketball
Washington’s men’s basketball game at Utah, originally set for Saturday, has been moved to Sunday because of travel delays.
There is also uncertainty around Sunday’s women’s game between No. 1 South Carolina and No. 3 USC. USC had planned to fly across the country Friday, but the ground stop was issued shortly after the team boarded at Los Angeles International Airport. The players and staff returned to campus that evening.
Soccer
The NWSL semifinals are scheduled for this weekend. The Utah Royals were already in Washington, D.C., ahead of Saturday’s match against the Washington Spirit. Kansas City, however, was due to fly to New York for Sunday’s game against Gotham FC and could not leave as scheduled.
Travel disruptions may continue to affect teams, fans and officials throughout the weekend. More than 4,200 flights had already been canceled on Saturday, and over 11,000 were delayed, with both totals still rising.
