Game delays for lightning may be annoying, but they save lives – a sports meteorologist explains the risk
When lightning is nearby, fans and players are urged to move to sheltered areas. Mark Thorstenson-Orlando City/MLS via Getty Images When nearby lightning forces officials to delay a big college football game, the backlash from fans can be fierce, especially if the sky over the stadium is still mostly blue.
When lightning forces a pause in a college football game, fans often complain, especially if the sky seems clear. However, these delays are crucial for safety. Sports meteorologists emphasize that lightning poses a real threat to players and spectators, even when rain isn’t present. For example, in 2014, twelve fans were injured by indirect lightning strikes at a Tampa Bay NFL game, and in 2004, forty high school players and coaches were injured during a lightning strike in Texas. Lightning can travel through metal stadium seats or across the ground, endangering large crowds. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) enforces strict lightning safety policies to prevent such incidents, prioritizing human life over game schedules.
Lightning can strike up to 8 miles away from a thunderstorm, a phenomenon called a bolt from the blue. This means danger exists even when the storm isn’t directly overhead. The NCAA’s lightning safety policies require games to be delayed if lightning is detected within an 8-mile radius. Players must clear the field, and fans are advised to seek shelter in safer areas like the stadium concourse. Lightning’s electrical charge can linger after a storm, so the policy mandates waiting 30 minutes after the last lightning flash before resuming play. This ensures the threat has fully passed. A 2018 study found that half of lightning-related game delays lasted less than 90 minutes, balancing safety with minimal disruption.
Many people assume rain indicates lightning danger, but this is incorrect. Most lightning injuries and fatalities occur before the rain starts or after it ends, when people feel safe. Large stadiums, with their open-air stands and metal structures, are particularly high-risk. A lightning strike to the bleachers could electrify metal seats, potentially injuring dozens. Similarly, a strike to the turf could send ground currents across the field, harming players and staff. To mitigate these risks, some teams now employ dedicated event meteorologists who use advanced radar and lightning data to monitor conditions in real time, reducing unnecessary delays.
The NCAA’s lightning safety policies have been in place since 1997 and are regularly updated in the NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook. These policies provide clear guidelines for suspending and resuming play based on lightning detection. However, the risk of lightning delays may increase soon. A new NCAA proposal, if approved, would move the start of the college football season a week earlier beginning in 2027. This change would place more games during the peak of late summer and early fall lightning season, potentially leading to more delays. Despite frustrations, these policies exist because lightning injuries can have lifelong consequences, while game delays are temporary.
Lightning-related incidents in sports are not rare. In 2024, one player was killed and eight others injured during a soccer match in Peru due to a lightning strike. In 1998, multiple players were injured in a South African soccer match under similar circumstances. Even non-sporting events aren’t immune; in 2000, ESPN analyst Lee Corso’s rental car was struck by lightning outside a stadium, leading to a canceled game. These examples highlight the unpredictable and dangerous nature of lightning. While delays may frustrate fans, they are a necessary precaution to prevent tragedies, as lightning strikes can occur at any time, regardless of weather appearances.
