2019 NCAA (and other) Tournament Charters

altairF28 · Mon Mar 18, 2019 5:00 am

With the field for the NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball Tournament (AKA March Madness) being announced Sunday evening here is the thread to post charters to and from the Men's and Women's Tournaments (the ladies announce their field Monday night) as well as any of the other 3 tournaments (NIT, CBI and CIT). Nothing yet, obviously but North Carolina Central (RDU), Temple (PHL), Belmont (BNA) and North Dakota State (FAR) have to be in DAY sometime Monday for their games on Tuesday.

jco613 · Mon Mar 18, 2019 5:12 am

Can confirm nothing from the first round of the women’s frozen four. Will have an update this weekend.

Men’s hockey tournament is the following weekend with regionals in FAR, ABE, PVD and MHT

Cubsrule · Mon Mar 18, 2019 3:22 pm

Here are the charters for Tuesday's men's NCAA tournament games. It'll be interesting to see the breakdown of carriers this year. WN has historically had the largest presence of the "Big 4," but the MAX grounding has left them short of aircraft. So far, it's all SY:

Farleigh Dickinson: SY 738 EWR-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KEWR/KDAY
Prairie View A&M: SY 738 HOU-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KHOU/KDAY

Belmont: SY 738 BNA-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KBNA/KDAY (this is less than 350 miles and would normally be a bus route; I suspect Belmont may have gotten a break because of the short turnaround)
Temple: SY 738 PHL-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KPHL/KDAY

jco613 · Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:52 pm

Cubsrule wrote:
Here are the charters for Tuesday's men's NCAA tournament games. It'll be interesting to see the breakdown of carriers this year. WN has historically had the largest presence of the "Big 4," but the MAX grounding has left them short of aircraft. So far, it's all SY:

Farleigh Dickinson: SY 738 EWR-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KEWR/KDAY
Prairie View A&M: SY 738 HOU-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KHOU/KDAY

Belmont: SY 738 BNA-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KBNA/KDAY (this is less than 350 miles and would normally be a bus route; I suspect Belmont may have gotten a break because of the short turnaround)
Temple: SY 738 PHL-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KPHL/KDAY

Re: Belmont. I don’t remember last year and too lazy to look but don’t all first four teams that have to travel fly because they’re presumably going elsewhere immediately postgame?

Cubsrule · Mon Mar 18, 2019 7:16 pm

jco613 wrote:
Cubsrule wrote:
Here are the charters for Tuesday's men's NCAA tournament games. It'll be interesting to see the breakdown of carriers this year. WN has historically had the largest presence of the "Big 4," but the MAX grounding has left them short of aircraft. So far, it's all SY:

Farleigh Dickinson: SY 738 EWR-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KEWR/KDAY
Prairie View A&M: SY 738 HOU-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KHOU/KDAY

Belmont: SY 738 BNA-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KBNA/KDAY (this is less than 350 miles and would normally be a bus route; I suspect Belmont may have gotten a break because of the short turnaround)
Temple: SY 738 PHL-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KPHL/KDAY

Re: Belmont. I don’t remember last year and too lazy to look but don’t all first four teams that have to travel fly because they’re presumably going elsewhere immediately postgame?

There's actually not a lot of history of relatively close schools playing in the First Four. Dayton played in it in 2015 and drove (duh). Vanderbilt - essentially the same distance away as Belmont - flew in 2016. Tennessee looks like they may have driven in 2014.

aemoreira1981 · Mon Mar 18, 2019 8:43 pm

What about St. John's and Arizona State to get to Dayton? Or is SJU sharing a plane with Fairleigh Dickinson?

Biscayne738 · Mon Mar 18, 2019 9:57 pm

Syracuse Orangemen en-route to Salt Lake City tonight for Baylor Thursday:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KSYR/KSLC

LittleFokker · Mon Mar 18, 2019 11:09 pm

Cubsrule wrote:
Prairie View A&M: SY 738 HOU-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KHOU/KDAY

I wonder why PVAMU is using HOU vs IAH? The school is NW of Houston, about a 40-45 minute drive to IAH vs about 60 minutes to HOU. If WN was providing the charter, that would be one thing, but I presume SY could use IAH just as easily.

LittleFokker · Mon Mar 18, 2019 11:19 pm

3 of Wednesday games' teams are airborne:

North Dakota State:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KFAR/KDAY

North Carolina Central Univ:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KRDU/KDAY

Arizona State:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWQ ... /KPHX/KDAY

Can't find any info on St John's.

aemoreira1981 wrote:
Or is SJU sharing a plane with Fairleigh Dickinson?

Not likely. Consider you have 12-15 players, 5 or 6 coaches, school admin and athletic trainers. Also highly probable that the cheerleaders and band would be on the same flight too, so that will easily fill up a 737. NCAA pays for the charters anyways, so of course each school would demand their own.

Cubsrule · Mon Mar 18, 2019 11:23 pm

LittleFokker wrote:
Cubsrule wrote:
Prairie View A&M: SY 738 HOU-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KHOU/KDAY

I wonder why PVAMU is using HOU vs IAH? The school is NW of Houston, about a 40-45 minute drive to IAH vs about 60 minutes to HOU. If WN was providing the charter, that would be one thing, but I presume SY could use IAH just as easily.

It could be something as straightforward as easier access from the bus to the plane at HOU. The drive time difference isn’t that big.

TVNWZ · Mon Mar 18, 2019 11:24 pm

They don’t fill up the plane. No middle seat for players, coaches, administrators.

UltimateDelta · Mon Mar 18, 2019 11:44 pm

Suspect this is Loyola-Chicago on their way to play Creighton in the first round of the NIT tomorrow:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UJC ... /KMDW/KOMA

910A · Tue Mar 19, 2019 12:05 am

LittleFokker wrote:
Not likely. Consider you have 12-15 players, 5 or 6 coaches, school admin and athletic trainers. Also highly probable that the cheerleaders and band would be on the same flight too, so that will easily fill up a 737. NCAA pays for the charters anyways, so of course each school would demand their own.

Speaking of bands, I found this. https://deadspin.com/i-got-paid-to-chee ... -457119879

The NCAA wants every team to have some support, but not every school has cheerleaders or a band. I've twice been a mercenary spirit squadder, paid in extra per diem to cheer for a school I don't attend. This happens more than you think. Podunk University stumbles into winning the Big Sky tournament and needs someone in its corner halfway across the country. A Podunk U. bursar or a band director or an operations manager gets in contact with someone from one of the other schools in the same host city, who in turn asks his spirit squadders if they want to be peppy on another team's behalf, for cash. Sure, we say.

jco613 · Tue Mar 19, 2019 3:14 am

UltimateDelta wrote:
Suspect this is Loyola-Chicago on their way to play Creighton in the first round of the NIT tomorrow:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UJC ... /KMDW/KOMA

If this is them they may be the only team chartering for this. If I’m not mistaken, NCAA only pays for charters for the NIT semis/finals

jco613 · Tue Mar 19, 2019 3:42 am

aemoreira1981 wrote:
What about St. John's and Arizona State to get to Dayton? Or is SJU sharing a plane with Fairleigh Dickinson?

In addition to the SU, there is a WQ 733: ewr-day. I’m on my phone now so can’t pull the data but that solves the dilemma.

uconn99 · Tue Mar 19, 2019 3:48 am

Hartford is hosting the first week/weekend games, anyone see anything coming into BDL yet or scheduled?

SkyVoice · Tue Mar 19, 2019 3:54 am

What about those teams competing in the CBI & the CIT? Are chartered airliners provided for them, or do they have to travel by bus?

drdisque · Tue Mar 19, 2019 4:12 am

This is St. Johns: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KFRG/KDAY

NIT flights:
Hofstra at NC State: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N81 ... /KFRG/KRDU
SD State at Texas: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/FRG ... /KBKX/KICT (tech stop in ICT and then flew on to AUS)
Lipscomb at Davidson: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N81 ... /KBNA/KJQF
St. Francis at Indiana: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/FRG ... /KAOO/KBMG
Arkansas at Providence: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/MNU ... /KFYV/KPVD
Wright State at Clemson: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/FRG ... /KDAY/KAND

Can't find Dayton to Colorado (maybe they were able to book enough seats on the United flights) or San Diego at Memphis.

JAXDan · Tue Mar 19, 2019 5:18 pm

SY flight 8614 flew the Yale team from BDL-JAX today.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX8614
https://twitter.com/JAXairport/status/1108048478654078978

Biscayne738 · Tue Mar 19, 2019 5:40 pm

Auburn vs New Mexico State
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KMGM/KSLC

drdisque · Tue Mar 19, 2019 6:15 pm

mcg · Tue Mar 19, 2019 6:19 pm

910A wrote:
LittleFokker wrote:
Not likely. Consider you have 12-15 players, 5 or 6 coaches, school admin and athletic trainers. Also highly probable that the cheerleaders and band would be on the same flight too, so that will easily fill up a 737. NCAA pays for the charters anyways, so of course each school would demand their own.

Speaking of bands, I found this. https://deadspin.com/i-got-paid-to-chee ... -457119879

The NCAA wants every team to have some support, but not every school has cheerleaders or a band. I've twice been a mercenary spirit squadder, paid in extra per diem to cheer for a school I don't attend. This happens more than you think. Podunk University stumbles into winning the Big Sky tournament and needs someone in its corner halfway across the country. A Podunk U. bursar or a band director or an operations manager gets in contact with someone from one of the other schools in the same host city, who in turn asks his spirit squadders if they want to be peppy on another team's behalf, for cash. Sure, we say.

Just for the record, the University of Montana, winners of the Big Sky Conference, isn't Podunk U.

Here is the charter:

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWQ ... /KMSO/KDSM

Biscayne738 · Tue Mar 19, 2019 6:26 pm

Northeastern vs Kansas
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KBOS/KSLC

KBUF · Tue Mar 19, 2019 8:38 pm

Here's Buffalo's charter to TUL #UBHornsUp: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWQ ... /KBUF/KTUL

Haven't found anything for the women's team yet (I assume they would be flying into BDL, though I suppose it's possible they could be bussing it).

Biscayne738 · Tue Mar 19, 2019 8:49 pm

New Mexico State vs Auburn
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAY ... /KLRU/KSLC

drdisque · Tue Mar 19, 2019 9:22 pm

Kentucky: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KLEX/KJAX
St. Mary's: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KOAK/KBDL
Michigan State: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KLAN/KDSM
Purdue: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWQ ... /KLAF/KBDL
Old Dominion: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAY ... /KORF/KBDL
Louisville: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAY ... /KSDF/KDSM
Villanova: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AJI ... /KPHL/KBDL

For my notes: Thursday ones still left: Wofford, Baylor, Michigan, Vermont, Minnesota

drdisque · Tue Mar 19, 2019 9:39 pm

More NITness

Wichita State @ Furman: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/MNU ... /KICT/KGSP

KBUF · Tue Mar 19, 2019 11:06 pm

KBUF wrote:
Haven't found anything for the women's team yet (I assume they would be flying into BDL, though I suppose it's possible they could be bussing it).

And here's the women's team: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAY ... /KBUF/KBDL

EDIT: And here's Michigan to DSM: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWQ ... /KYIP/KDSM

jco613 · Wed Mar 20, 2019 12:50 am

COMING TONIGHT: A Google Doc link to all of this info!

But for now, a teaser: FDU will be on this flight after their win tonight...https://flightaware.com/live/flight/BSK ... /KDAY/KSLC

uconn99 · Wed Mar 20, 2019 12:57 am

Anyone see Murray State? That's the only team remaining for the Hartford games, I assume Vermont will bus it or will they get a charter as well?

uconn99 · Wed Mar 20, 2019 12:58 am

jco613 wrote:
COMING TONIGHT: A Google Doc link to all of this info!

But for now, a teaser: FDU will be on this flight after their win tonight...https://flightaware.com/live/flight/BSK ... /KDAY/KSLC

A google doc would be great!

drdisque · Wed Mar 20, 2019 1:10 am

Baylor: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KACT/KSLC

Murray State still dangling out there is a bit maddening.

drdisque · Wed Mar 20, 2019 1:31 am

Some Friday games:

St. Louis: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/BSK ... /KSTL/KSJC
Kansas State: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KMHK/KSJC
Wisconsin: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KMSN/KSJC
Colgate?: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL ... /KSYR/KCMH

Sun Country 738 has positioned to ROA to fly Virginia Tech to SJC in the morning.

jco613 · Wed Mar 20, 2019 1:45 am

Found Murray State!

AND, in true tease fashion...it's all in the link HERE: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oMxQbAr2truipDtH5VLjuYD9NduuQ84GoXojODHsmtw/edit?usp=sharing!

drdisque: I am working a 12 hour shift tomorrow...if you would like and have a google account, PM me your username and I'll add you to edit the spreadsheet.

Cubsrule · Wed Mar 20, 2019 1:46 am

drdisque wrote:
Baylor: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KACT/KSLC

Murray State still dangling out there is a bit maddening.

I think this is likely Murray State: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWQ ... /KEVV/KBDL

Maybe there was a concern about either ARFF or runway performance at PAH, which is what they usually use. It wasn’t a terribly long flight but the 734 isn’t exactly spry.

uconn99 · Wed Mar 20, 2019 4:27 am

Cubsrule wrote:
drdisque wrote:
Baylor: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KACT/KSLC

Murray State still dangling out there is a bit maddening.

I think this is likely Murray State: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWQ ... /KEVV/KBDL

Maybe there was a concern about either ARFF or runway performance at PAH, which is what they usually use. It wasn’t a terribly long flight but the 734 isn’t exactly spry.

Good catch, this is probably them. I saw the flight earlier and questioned it but didn't think about Murray State since it was an Indiana airport. About a 2 hour drive, the same as BNA but I am sure EVV is easier and costs less.

sunking737 · Wed Mar 20, 2019 6:42 am

Its too bad SY is not doing any charters. Good god they are busy...

wjcandee · Wed Mar 20, 2019 9:52 am

drdisque wrote:
This is St. Johns: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KFRG/KDAY

NIT flights:
Hofstra at NC State: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N81 ... /KFRG/KRDU
SD State at Texas: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/FRG ... /KBKX/KICT (tech stop in ICT and then flew on to AUS)
Lipscomb at Davidson: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N81 ... /KBNA/KJQF
St. Francis at Indiana: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/FRG ... /KAOO/KBMG
Arkansas at Providence: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/MNU ... /KFYV/KPVD
Wright State at Clemson: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/FRG ... /KDAY/KAND

Can't find Dayton to Colorado (maybe they were able to book enough seats on the United flights) or San Diego at Memphis.

Gotta say I wouldn't be too happy to find my kid flying on some random prop "airline" or private charter. "Freight Runners Express"? Seriously?

And don't give me the "they are properly-licensed pilots" nonsense. I think we all know there are pilots and there are pilots.

ctrabs0114 · Wed Mar 20, 2019 10:53 am

jco613 wrote:
Cubsrule wrote:
Here are the charters for Tuesday's men's NCAA tournament games. It'll be interesting to see the breakdown of carriers this year. WN has historically had the largest presence of the "Big 4," but the MAX grounding has left them short of aircraft. So far, it's all SY:

Farleigh Dickinson: SY 738 EWR-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KEWR/KDAY
Prairie View A&M: SY 738 HOU-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KHOU/KDAY

Belmont: SY 738 BNA-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KBNA/KDAY (this is less than 350 miles and would normally be a bus route; I suspect Belmont may have gotten a break because of the short turnaround)
Temple: SY 738 PHL-DAY https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KPHL/KDAY

Re: Belmont. I don’t remember last year and too lazy to look but don’t all first four teams that have to travel fly because they’re presumably going elsewhere immediately postgame?

Here's the DAY-JAX flight for Belmont, FWIW:

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/BSK ... /KDAY/KJAX

Odd that Belmont used SY to go BNA-DAY, but LL from DAY-JAX. Though, now that I see the spreadsheet, I see why LL took that mission; the SY plane went to FRG (Farmingdale) to pick up St. John's.

tsra · Wed Mar 20, 2019 11:33 am

North Carolina to CMH

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWQ ... /KRDU/KCMH

smokeybandit · Wed Mar 20, 2019 11:35 am

SkyVoice wrote:
What about those teams competing in the CBI & the CIT? Are chartered airliners provided for them, or do they have to travel by bus?

They pay their own travel costs, as far as I know

TVNWZ · Wed Mar 20, 2019 1:15 pm

[quote="wjcandee"

Gotta say I wouldn't be too happy to find my kid flying on some random prop "airline" or private charter. "Freight Runners Express"? Seriously?

And don't give me the "they are properly-licensed pilots" nonsense. I think we all know there are pilots and there are pilots.[/quote]

They’ve been big for the smaller team sports the last several year.

drdisque · Wed Mar 20, 2019 2:05 pm

tsra wrote:
North Carolina to CMH

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWQ ... /KRDU/KCMH

This flight happened last Thursday and is not it (possibly NHL related).

tsra · Wed Mar 20, 2019 2:50 pm

drdisque wrote:
tsra wrote:
North Carolina to CMH

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWQ ... /KRDU/KCMH

This flight happened last Thursday and is not it (possibly NHL related).

Ooops, my bad!

UltimateDelta · Wed Mar 20, 2019 5:31 pm

Utah State to CMH:

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KLGU/KCMH

Cubsrule · Wed Mar 20, 2019 5:38 pm

VCU SY 738 RIC-CAE https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KRIC/KCAE

Oklahoma SY 738 OKC-CAE https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KOKC/KCAE

Northern Kentucky G4 320 CVG-TUL https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAY ... /KCVG/KTUL

Iowa WQ 734 CID-CMH https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWQ ... /KCID/KCMH

xjcsa · Wed Mar 20, 2019 6:01 pm

I used to work in the travel agency office that handles all this travel (they still do). I don't have any inside info on anything happening this year, but I have quite a bit of knowledge about the process. Happy to answer any questions you might have about how it all works, including NCAA rules/policies and how decisions are made.

ctrabs0114 · Wed Mar 20, 2019 9:10 pm

Robert Morris women's basketball charter to their first round game in Louisville:

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AJI ... /KPIT/KSDF

ctrabs0114 · Wed Mar 20, 2019 9:21 pm

Mercer looks to be the only team that's flying to the Iowa City site (they're actually using CID, since IOW can't seem to support 737s/A320s):

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWQ ... /KATL/KCID

The other two teams traveling to Iowa City - Drake and Missouri - are likely busing; Drake is less than two hours from the Iowa campus and Missouri is about 230 miles away.

ctrabs0114 · Wed Mar 20, 2019 9:30 pm

Starkville Sub-Regional (GTR):

South Dakota: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SCX ... /KFSD/KGTR
Clemson: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAY ... /KGSP/KGTR (en route as of this posting)

Nothing yet from Southern, which is located in New Orleans. I don't know what the mileage threshold for air vs. ground transport is in Division I, but in Division II, it was recently increased from 500 miles to 600 miles.

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