Military flyovers during sporting events are nothing new as they’ve been part of the national anthem for many years. And while most fans love seeing it, Fox Sports broadcasters Joe Buck and Troy Aikman apparently think it’s a little too much. The duo was caught on hot microphones slamming the flyovers before the Green Bay Packers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers game on Sunday. They didn’t understand why a flyover was happening for a game that only had a 25% fan capacity at Raymond James Stadium.
“That’s a lot of jet fuel to do a little flyover,” Aikman said. Buck agreed with Aikman by stating sarcastically, “That’s your hard-earned money and your tax dollars at work.” Aikman then responded: “That stuff ain’t happening with [a] Kamala-Biden ticket, I’ll tell you that right now.” It’s not clear how much it cost for the flyover on Sunday. However, in a report by the Washington Post (via Newsweek), a squadron of military fighter jets cost at least $60,000 per hour, And in the 2011 Super Bowl, the city of Dallas reportedly paid $450,000 for military flyovers over a closed-roof stadium. Shortly after the video of Aikman and Buck was released, social media shared its thoughts.
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Even Joe Buck and Troy Aikman find pregame flyovers to be a little much these days: https://t.co/0IZL6GhmZy pic.twitter.com/G4EpB3SYtN
โ Defector (@DefectorMedia) October 19, 2020
“Troy Aikman and Joe Buck are caught on a hot mic questioning the government’s expenditure of doing a military flyover of a football stadium that’s almost empty due to COVID. I don’t see controversy in their statements. It’s fair to question a $100,000+ taxpayer cost there,” Twitter user Scott Patterson wrote. Another Twitter user was not happy with the comments.
“I’m a lifelong [Dallas Cowboys] fan, but hearing [Troy Aikman] belittle our military as they flew over the stadium has officially twisted my mind into a knot,” Twitter user John Rich wrote. Fox has not responded to the comments, and Buck nor Aikman commented on it when they called the Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs game on Monday night. They will be back on air Thursday night when the New York Giants take on the Philadelphia Eagles. Buck and Aikman are the top NFL broadcasting team for Fox. They have been together since 2002 and have called six Super Bowls together. Buck and Aikman have also been nominated for multiple Emmy Awards.