Footage shows the parachuter hitting the board and becoming stuck, requiring emergency personnel to step in
Credit: Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Virginia Tech’s spring game was delayed when a skydiver struck the stadium’s scoreboard
- The game was originally scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. local time on Saturday, April 18, at the Hokies’ Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va., when the skydiver flew into the stadium
- Footage shows the parachuter hitting the scoreboard, requiring emergency personnel to step in
A Virginia Tech football game was delayed when a skydiver struck the stadium's scoreboard.
According to USA Today, a spring game was originally scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. local time on Saturday, April 18, at the Hokies' Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va., when the skydiver flew into the stadium.
Video footage shared on social media showed two of three parachuters who were attending the event, with American flags tied to their gear, flying over the crowd just before the scrimmage was about to begin. The first skydiver successfully glided past the board, but the second parachuter could be seen hitting the scoreboard, requiring emergency personnel to step in.
Credit: Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire via Getty
In a statement shared on social media, Virginia Tech Athletics said the "skydiver was safely secured and is currently stable."
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"Our primary focus remains on their well-being," the statement read. "We extend our sincere appreciation to the first responders, event staff and medical personnel for their swift, coordinated and professional response."
One fan on social media shared that the first skydiver appeared to have a "rough" landing, and that an "awful cross wind seems to have popped up just above the stadium."
Social media users wrote that first responders used ladder trucks and a crane to reach the skydiver. Additional photos showed part of the parachute — with no skydiver attached — hanging from the scoreboard as attendees waited for the game to get underway.
A message on the video board read, "We are waiting for EMTs to get out of the board. Thank you for your patience."
Sports Illustrated reported that the game eventually began at 4:02 p.m.
Virginia Tech's White Team ultimately defeated the Maroon Team, 21-12. The college is set to play its first season under head coach James Franklin, who was hired by the school after he was fired by Penn State mid-season in 2025.
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