NFL, Congress Wary of Rising Drone Incursions During Games

American lawmakers and major sports leagues—including the NFL, NCAA, and others—seek greater authority to ground rogue drones.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 04:28 PM ET

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The latest incident occurred over the weekend during a college football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Maryland Terrapins at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. [Courtesy: Ohio State University]

Key Takeaways:

Unauthorized drone incursions over sports stadiums are rapidly increasing, nearly doubling in 2022, causing game disruptions, arrests, and raising significant safety and security concerns among the NFL, NCAA, and members of Congress.
Current FAA regulations prohibit drone flights near large stadiums during events, but local law enforcement and stadium security lack the authority to intercept or disable rogue drones, with this power limited almost exclusively to the FBI and DHS, who rarely deploy for regular-season games.
New bipartisan legislation aims to extend counter-drone authority to state and local law enforcement, supported by major sports leagues, to better address the growing threat, though some concerns exist about potential overreach.

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In football, there are many routes a receiver can run. There’s the “slant,” where the player runs a few steps forward before cutting across the field. An “out” or “comeback” calls for a cut toward the sideline.

Then there’s the “go” route, typically a straight sprint down the field—coaches sometimes refer to this as a “fly.” But it appears some drone pilots have misinterpreted the terminology as a cue.