NFL, other leagues support bill regarding drones near stadiums

For some time, the NFL has wanted Congress to tighten the rules regarding drones near stadiums. A new bill introduced in Congress on Thursday will, if passed, do just that.

The bipartisan legislation, from Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada), is aimed at providing local and state law enforcement with the "tools . . to protect citizens," Cotton told Tisha Thompson of ESPN.com.

There's no reason for such protection to not exist.

"Local law enforcement already protects the perimeter of these events," Cotton told Thompson. "We already expect them to stop a dump truck that would cause harm, so we need to also give them the tools to protect the airspace from weapons and biological threats."

The NFL supports the bill, as does the MLB, the NCAA, and NASCAR.

Current law empowers federal authorities to disable drones for certain major events, including the Super Bowl and the World Series. At the vast majority of pro football and baseball games, state and local authorities responsible for securing the venue lack the ability to neutralize a drone quickly.

During the 2023 season, the NFL had more than 2,800 drone incursions into restricted airspace around stadiums during games. The FAA provides a bubble of 3,000 feet and three nautical miles, starting an hour before the game begins and ending an hour after it concludes.

"Many drones around large athletic events are hobbyists or enthusiasts or practical jokers," Cotton told Thompson. "But we can't take the risk of fan lives because some of these drones can be equipped to carry explosives or most chillingly can be equipped with some kind of biological weapon."

Again, it's a no-brainer, and it's hard to imagine the bill not making its way through both houses of Congress and being signed into law.