FAA nationwide ground stop disrupts major sports team travel

The Federal Aviation Administration implemented a nationwide ground stop for over four hours on Friday, November 14, 2026, disrupting travel for multiple professional and collegiate sports organizations. The stoppage began just before 4 p.m. ET and lasted until shortly after 8 p.m. ET. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy stated that communication instability at air traffic control centers caused the stoppage. Secretary Sean Duffy noted that general aviation and larger movements would be prioritized over smaller movements during the recovery process.

Impact on collegiate sports

The ground stop occurred during a busy weekend of scheduled games for college football, college basketball, the NBA, and the NHL. In college football, several highly ranked teams faced travel delays for their Saturday matchups. These teams included No. 2 Utah, No. 6 Texas, No. 8 Tennessee, and No. 19 Ole Miss. Following the stoppage, the Southeastern Conference announced that the league is communicating with member institutions to assess disruptions and prioritize athlete safety. As a result of the travel issues, the Southeastern Conference rescheduled the Ole Miss game at Oklahoma to Sunday.

Other collegiate programs adjusted their travel methods to avoid further delays. Auburn and North Texas opted to travel by bus instead of flying to their destinations. The Southern California women's basketball team was also affected by the stoppage. Southern California women's basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb reported that the team was unable to leave Los Angeles during the period of the ground stop.

Professional sports and upcoming schedules

Professional sports organizations also experienced significant logistical challenges due to the FAA action. The Brooklyn Nets were near takeoff from New Orleans airport when the ground stop began. The team is scheduled to play in Memphis on Saturday, November 15, 2026. The disruption occurred during a period of high volume for the NBA and NHL.

The scheduling for upcoming women's basketball games remains impacted by these logistical shifts. The No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 3 Southern California women's basketball game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, November 16, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. The specific tipoff time for the South Carolina vs. Southern California game is 1 p.m. Sunday.

Glossary

• NBA — The NBA is a major U.S. sports league. It includes the Toronto Raptors as its only Canadian team.
• Federal Aviation Administration — The Federal Aviation Administration is a government agency that issues charting notices regarding its databases and aeronautical charts. It is responsible for implementing actions such as ground stops.
• ground stop — A ground stop is an action issued by the FAA that can disrupt travel. It can be issued due to equipment outages or communication instability at air traffic control centers.
• general aviation — General aviation refers to a category of aviation that is supported by some of the 5,193 airports designated as "public use" in the United States.
• college football — College football is a sport played by university programs. It is a sport for which fans can be particularly passionate.