FAA Ground Stoppage Splits South Carolina Band Travel to Arkansas; Cheer Squad Stays Home
South Carolina’s football team reached Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Friday before flights were grounded, but not everyone supporting the Gamecocks at Saturday’s game against Arkansas made it. The Carolina Band’s travel party was split, and the cheer squad will not be on the sideline.
Band Split Across Two Flights
The Carolina Band explained the situation in a Facebook post Friday night.
“Our first flight of students and staff made it to Arkansas, but our 2nd flight was cancelled,” the band’s Facebook page posted. “Students and staff from the second flight are headed home from Charlotte to Columbia. They will not make it to Arkansas. Thank you for your continued support.”
Only the first group reached Arkansas. A band parent wrote in a Facebook post: “My son is in the band group that made it to Arkansas but said they’ll just be in the stands not playing.”
Cheer Squad Won’t Be on the Sideline
The cheer program said on social media: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, Gamecock Cheer won’t be on the sidelines tonight, but we’ll be cheering just as loud from home.”
About the Ground Stoppage
The FAA issued a rare nationwide ground stoppage on Friday, pausing all departing flights “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.” It was only the third such stoppage this century. The order was issued at 3:54 p.m. and lifted late Friday.
Wider Effects on College Sports
The stoppage forced college football and basketball teams to scramble to reach their destinations:
- Southern Cal’s women’s basketball team could not leave until Saturday morning for its Sunday game against South Carolina in Greenville.
- The Ole Miss at Oklahoma football game was moved to 1 p.m. Sunday.
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