Offbeat Virginia: Hokies fans came for football. Got a skydiver vs. scoreboard instead.
BLACKSBURG, VA – Virginia Tech’s spring game delivered something no one had on their bingo card: a skydiver dangling from the scoreboard.
Just before kickoff at Lane Stadium, a parachutist carrying an American flag drifted off course and collided with the video board, getting tangled and stuck high above the field. One skydiver landed safely, another was pushed off target, and the third… well, he made an unplanned stop midair.
As CBS Sports reported, windy conditions appeared to play a role, turning a routine pregame entrance into a rescue operation. Fans looked up expecting a dramatic landing—and instead watched a slow-motion “uh-oh.”
From there, it became less sports and more emergency response.
According to Reuters, the parachute “snagged on the stadium video board,” leaving the skydiver suspended while crews worked to bring him down. He was rescued in about 15 minutes and was reported to be in stable condition—thankfully turning a bizarre moment into a safe ending.
The game? Oh right—that thing. It was delayed while officials handled the situation. As Associated Press noted, kickoff was pushed back as emergency personnel responded, because, well… you can’t exactly run plays while someone is hanging from the scoreboard.
Let’s be clear: everyone is okay. And that’s what matters.
Only in Virginia do you show up for spring football and leave saying:
“Great game… but did you see the guy who got stuck on the scoreboard?”
