President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend Saturday’s college football matchup between No. 1 Texas and No. 14 Tennessee, a visit that could create on‑field communication problems for the teams.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian warned that the presence of the president would cause brief interruptions to headset communication whenever Trump moves within Neyland Stadium. “When the president goes to any game, any time he enters, leaves, or changes locations within the stadium, all headset communication is cut,” he said at a Thursday news conference. “There is no warning, so you have to have a plan for that.”
The university has not altered its arrival schedule for the Texas squad, but officials have urged fans to arrive well before kickoff. Secret Service police will conduct enhanced security screening at all stadium gates, and the statement said that wait times will increase as the game approaches.
The primary impact on the game will be the loss of headset communication; teams will likely rely more heavily on hand signals during those brief gaps. Sarkisian noted that if Trump enters or exits during a quarter or even takes a restroom break, the teams must be prepared for a short loss of communication.
Trump has a long record of attending major sporting events, including the Super Bowl, college championships, the NBA Finals, and the FIFA World Cup final, where he presented the trophy to Spain after their victory.
