Hondo Rodeo Fest Issues Statement After Tim McGraw Misses Performance Due To FAA Ground Stop
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FAA Issues Nationwide Ground Stop
Air travelers across the United States faced widespread disruptions on Friday (November 13), after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop that temporarily halted aircraft departures.
The ground stop was issued around 3:54 p.m. ET following communications problems involving air traffic control systems. The disruption affected flights nationwide, leaving thousands of passengers facing delays and cancellations.
More than 12,000 flight cancellations were reported across Friday and Saturday as airlines worked to manage the widespread disruption. The FAA lifted the nationwide ground stop at approximately Friday evening. The impact has continued into Saturday as airlines work through the backlog of affected flights.
The @FAAnews issued a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as we have them.
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) November 13, 2026
RELATED: BREAKING: FAA Issues Rare Nationwide Ground Stop
Tim McGraw Forced To Miss The Hondo Rodeo
The widespread flight disruptions affected travelers across the country, including country music star Tim McGraw, who was scheduled to take the stage at this year’s Hondo Rodeo Fest in Phoenix, Arizona.
The three-day event combines professional rodeo competition and live entertainment. The festival features some of country music’s biggest names alongside talented rodeo athletes competing in a variety of events.
The rodeo portion features eight competitions, including bull riding, barrel racing, bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, and saddle bronc riding. This year’s concert lineup included McGraw, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Parker McCollum, among others.
The Hondo Rodeo Fest announced the news in a statement shared to Instagram Friday afternoon, confirming that McGraw would be unable to perform at the event.
“Due to today’s nationwide FAA ground stop, Tim McGraw is unable to travel to Phoenix and will not be performing tonight at Hondo Rodeo due to an unavoidable travel delay,” the caption read. “We appreciate Miranda stepping in to help. Tim and the entire team are deeply disappointed to miss it.”
Although the ground stop has been lifted, travelers may still experience delays and cancellations. Shelton is expected to take the stage at the Hondo Rodeo Fest Saturday.
