Very few traditions in college football are more exhilarating than the flyover at the Rose Bowl but ESPN refused to delay kickoff so most fans at home were unable to watch. They missed out on pure Americana because Arizona State and Texas went to double overtime.
It was a baffling broadcast decision from the supposed ‘Worldwide Leader in Sports’ on a day where its programming was already cut short due to unforeseen circumstances.
To be fair, ESPN might not have been able to push back the flyover regardless of how things played out at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. Thousands of military personnel are involved with the complex 15-hour mission to fly the B-2 Spirit bomber over the most iconic college football stadium in the country. To just… push it back… is probably far more difficult than it appears from a civilian perspective.
Nevertheless, a large number of Rose Bowl viewers were unable to witness the legendary flyover in real time. It is a moment made for HD television moment that was not aired on the primary broadcast. Fortunately, we can watch it back on social media.
THERE’S OUR B2 STEALTH BOMBER#PMSCFPESPN2 pic.twitter.com/3XhkH35zgv
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 1, 2025
Here is an even better look from inside the stadium:
Simply the best 🌹#RoseBowl pic.twitter.com/Vcmltwkegp
— Rose Bowl Game (@rosebowlgame) January 1, 2025
Of course, there is also the breathtaking photo from Mark Holtzman of West Coast Aerial:
Rose Bowl Game Flyover. Happy 2025!!@Whiteman_AFB @rosebowlgame @RoseBowlStadium @OhioStateFB @OhioState @uoregon @oregonfootball @TBDBITL @GoDucks @northropgrumman @SportsCenter @SInow @espn @SonyAlpha @NCAA @NCAAFootball @usairforce @VisitPasadena @VisitCA pic.twitter.com/jlC0X64NSH
— Mark Holtzman (@westcoastaerial) January 1, 2025
A large number of viewers at home missed out on this iconic moment because ESPN already had a game airing on its primary network. The Sun Devils and Longhorns went to double overtime in Atlanta, which bled into the first 15/20(ish) minutes of the Rose Bowl.
ESPN did not delay kickoff at the Rose Bowl.
Even if the flyover time was not negotiable, the actual game itself was able to be pushed back. ESPN calls the shots in this scenario. It could’ve delayed the start of the Rose Bowl until the end of the Peach Bowl but chose not to do so. As a result, Ohio State was already up 7-0 over Oregon when the Rose Bowl broadcast officially got underway on ESPN. The network moved the broadcast to a different channel while things wrapped up in Atlanta but college football fans were dialed into double overtime so they missed a good chunk of the first quarter in Pasadena.
Why? Great question.
ESPN will blame logistics. Fine. It can say whatever it wants but that’s a bogus excuse. With the Sugar Bowl delayed until Thursday, ESPN did not have another game to air on Wednesday night. There was no legitimate reason not to push back kickoff (and ideally the flyover) at the Rose Bowl.