The NFL is calling on Congress to act in the face of increasing concerns over drones potentially creating safety risks at major sporting events.
Attention over the issue has grown in recent weeks as unexplained drone sightings have popped up across the East Coast, including those regularly spotted over areas in New Jersey.
On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was blocked from quickly advancing a bill that seeks to help state and local agencies deal with the drone issue.
In a statement released to the Washington Post on Wednesday, Cathy Lanier, the NFL’s senior vice president of security, called on Congress to take action.
“Over the past several years, an increasing number of drones have flown into restricted airspace during NFL games,” Lanier said in a statement. “With the nation’s attention now focused on drones, we again call on Congress to protect critical infrastructure and mass gatherings such as major sporting events.”
The league added that “threats, incidents, and incursions by unauthorized drones over NFL games jumped from a dozen in 2017 to more than 2,800 in 2023.”
Earlier this year, the AFC title game between the Chiefs and Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore had to be temporarily suspended due to a drone disturbance.
A Pennsylvania man later faced federal charges for violating a temporary flight restriction over the football stadium.
He eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year of probation and given a $500 fine.
The drones have raised concerns among everyday Americans and lawmakers alike, and on Thursday, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman gave county police the green light to shoot down any drones over a mass gathering that are a “threat to the public at large.”
