Saturdays are for college football – and meeting voters where they are. Over the weekend, the Democratic National Committee took to the air – literally – with banner messages flown over college stadiums reminding voters of Donald Trump and JD Vance’s ties to their dangerous Project 2025 agenda and also reminding college students and football fans that a vote for Trump is the same as losing the game.  

The banner messages, flown over tailgates at the University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, and Penn State University, all delivered a clear message: Beat Trump and sack his dangerous Project 2025 once and for all.

See below for coverage:

On MSNBC’s Alex Witts Reports: “‘Project 2025’ and ‘beat Trump plus Project 2025.’ It’s gonna happen over a number of college football games today. This may be setting a quippy tone with lines voters are going to remember.”

On Fox News’ Fox News Live: “Speaking of the Texas-Michigan game in Ann Arbor, the DNC plans to fly a banner over the stadium, over the Big House, where over 110,000 people are watching the game to take a shot at JD Vance.” 

Here’s what national outlets are saying: 

Hollywood Reporter: Planes Targeting Trump Fly Over College Football Stadiums, Telling Voters to Sack Project 2025

[Jackie Strause, 9/7/24]

“On Saturday, the second week of the 2024 college football season, planes carrying banner messages specific for three universities flew across the sky, courtesy of the Democratic National Committee. […]

“‘It’s college football Saturday, and fans are ready to sack the competition and beat Project 2025, which would give Trump unprecedented power, allow Trump to ban abortion nationwide, allow the government to monitor pregnancies, and give tax giveaways for billionaires,’ DNC Deputy Communications Director Abhi Rahman said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. ‘The DNC is reaching voters where they are in swing states across the country by flying Project 2025 banners over the Big House in Michigan, Sanford Stadium in Georgia, Beaver Stadium at Penn State, and Camp Randall Stadium in Wisconsin.

“‘These banners carry a message that resonates with fans and reminds them that the most important contest is still to come in November,’ Rahman continued. ‘The contrast in this election couldn’t be clearer, and we have a winning playbook: Tackle Project 2025, make a goal-line stand and drive 99 yards the other way towards a more just and equal America for all.’”

CBS News: DNC to fly banners about Trump-Vance ticket, “Project 2025” over battleground state football games

[Aaron Navarro and Anne Bryson, 9/7/24]

“At the Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan, an aerial banner paid for by the Democratic National Committee will read: ‘JD Vance <3 Ohio State + Project 2025.’ It’s a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Republican vice presidential nominee, who got his bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University, and the dense conservative blueprint by the Heritage Foundation for a potential second Trump term. […]

“‘The DNC is reaching voters where they are,’ DNC spokesperson Abhi Rahman told CBS News. ‘These banners carry a message that resonates with fans and reminds them that the most important contest is still to come in November.’”

Associated Press: Democrats take to the skies over college football games to keep the spotlight on Project 2025

[Will Weissert, 9/7/24]

“Democratic National Committee -sponsored banners pulled by small airplanes will fly Saturday over Michigan Stadium, where the defending national champion Wolverines have a marquee matchup against Texas, and at-home games for Penn State, Wisconsin and Georgia.

“‘We want people to know exactly what Project 2025 is, what the ties are to Trump,’ Rahman said. ‘Finding creative avenues to get the message out is something that we’re always trying to do.’”

SB Nation: Democrats to fly Donald Trump and JD Vance banners over College Football games

[James Dator, 9/7/24]

“College football fans at four high-profile games in Week 2 are going to see something very different in the skies over stadiums in key battleground states. The Democratic National Committee will fly planes carrying banners that remind fans of the connection between the Republican presidential ticket and Project 2025, while also making fun of J.D. Vance in Michigan.

“Legal experts have expressed dire concerns with Project 2025 and its overt aim of steering the United States towards authoritarianism. Public outcry over the document led to Donald Trump claiming The Heritage Foundation plan wasn’t representative of his platform, while also saying he knew nothing of Project 2025. This came despite extensive links between Trump and The Heritage Foundation, which was fundamental to his first presidential term.”

Yahoo! Sports: Politics invades college football via skies above stadiums in battle ground states

[Dan Wetzel, 9/7/24]

“Saturday, the Democratic National Committee planned to extend the battle from the airwaves to the actual air around select stadiums, using banner messaging pulled behind airplanes to make their case, DNC deputy communications director Abhi Rahman told Yahoo Sports.

“The DNC sponsored banners to fly above four college football stadiums on Saturday — Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor; Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia; Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania; and Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.”

The Hill: Democrats fly anti-Trump banners over football games in latest appeal to college voters

[Tara Suter, 9/7/24]

“Democrats seemingly played into the college rivalry between the University of Michigan and The Ohio State University Saturday, in their latest appeal to young voters.

“The committee flew planes with banners targeting former President Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) over football stadiums including Michigan and Pennsylvania State University. The DNC noted in a press release that one will also fly over the University of Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium later Saturday.”

Washington Post: DNC trolls Trump and Vance with banners over college football games

[Azi Paybarah, 9/7/24]

“The Democratic National Committee said it is flying banners over three major college football games on Saturday in important, battleground states.”

Daily Beast: Planes Targeting Trump, Project 2025 Fly Over Football Games

[Owen Lavine, 9/7/24]

“‘The DNC is reaching voters where they are,’ DNC spokesperson Abhi Rahman told CBS News on Saturday, of the campaign’s innovative strategy of flying planes with anti-Project 2025 banners over college football games.

“At the University of Wisconsin vs. South Dakota game on Saturday, tailgaters, cheeseheads and voters will be able to see a plane with a banner that reads ‘Jump Around! Beat Trump + Project 2025,’ in reference to the end of the third-quarter tradition when Wisconsin fans begin jumping up and down in the stands.

“Eastward, at the Michigan vs. Ohio State game a banner reading ‘JD Vance ‘hearts’ Ohio State + Project 2025,’ will also fly over. 

Meidas News: DNC Trolls Trump and Vance With Plane Banners Over College Football Games

[Troy Matthews, 9/7/24]

“The Democratic National Committee will welcome the start the college football season by trolling Donald Trump and JD Vance with plane banners over the biggest games on Saturday.

“Banners will fly over the home games at University of Michigan’s Michigan Stadium, the University of Georgia’s Sanford Stadium, Penn State’s Beaver Stadium, and Camp Randall Stadium at the University of Wisconsin. The signs encourage fans to ‘sack’ Trump and Project 2025.”

New York Times: Election Live Updates

[Tim Balk, 9/7/24]

“Planes commissioned by the Democratic Party flew anti-Trump banners over tailgaters at the country’s two largest college football stadiums, Michigan Stadium at the University of Michigan and Beaver Stadium at Penn State, on Saturday morning, according to the Democratic National Committee. Both schools, in battleground states, have noon football games. ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ is at Michigan Stadium for a tilt between Michigan and Texas.”

CNN: DNC flies ads tying Trump to Project 2025 over college football games in Midwest battleground states

[Aaron Pellish, 9/7/24]

“The Democratic National Committee is flying planes over college football games in Midwestern battleground states featuring banners linking former President Donald Trump and his running mate Ohio Sen. JD Vance to the conservative policy proposal Project 2025.”

Mediaite: DNC Flies Aerial Trump/Vance Bashing Banners Over Marquee College Football Games Saturday in ‘Sack Project 2025’

[Kipp Jones, 9/7/24]

“According to multiple reports, Democrats saw a chance to blast messages connecting former President Donald Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) to the much-maligned and very conservative Project 2025 White House blueprint and ran with it. CNN reported:

“The Democratic National Committee is flying planes over college football games in Midwestern battleground states featuring banners linking former President Donald Trump and his running mate Ohio Sen. JD Vance to the conservative policy proposal Project 2025.The DNC banners flew over home football games at the University of Michigan and Pennsylvania State University, and are planning to fly an additional advertisement over University of Wisconsin’s stadium later today. The banners are the latest effort by Democrats to tie Trump to the controversial conservative policy platform Project 2025.”

Washington Times: Harris campaign rushes for college voters by flying anti-Trump banners over football games

[Alex Miller, 9/7/24]

“The Democratic National Committee announced that on Saturday, it’s flying banners before the Michigan, Penn State, and Wisconsin kickoffs.

“The DNC said the move is ‘to remind college students and football fans that a vote for Trump is the same as losing the game, thanks to his dangerous and extreme Project 2025 plans.’”

Washington Examiner: Democrats fly Project 2025 banners over college football games in effort to troll Trump

[Ross O’Keefe, 9/7/24]

“The Democratic National Committee has paid for banners pulled by small airplanes with an assortment of messages relating to Project 2025 in the swing states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.”

Fox News: DNC fly anti-Trump banners over college football games in key swing states as Harris slips in polls

[Jackson Thompson, 9/7/24]

“The Democratic National Committee flew four planes carrying banners with anti-Trump messaging over college football games in four major swing states in the upcoming election on Saturday, it announced.”

The Spun: Democratic National Committee Targeted 4 College Football Stadiums Saturday

[Andrew Holleran, 9/8/24]

“The Democratic National Committee flew anti-Trump banners outside four college football stadiums on Saturday.

“Four stadiums were targeted by the DNC on Saturday: Michigan Stadium at the University of Michigan, Sanford Stadium at the University of Georgia, Beaver Stadium at Pennsylvania State University and Camp Randall Stadium at the University of Wisconsin.”

And take a look at some of the local coverage below: 

Badger Herald: DNC to fly campaign banner over UW campus Saturday

[Anna Kristoff, 9/7/24]

“The Democratic National Convention will be flying a campaign banner during the University of Wisconsin football game on Saturday, according to DNC Deputy Communications Director Abhi Rahman.

“The banner will be attached to a plane that will circle campus and then fly over Camp Randall Stadium, Rahman said. The banner will read ‘Jump around! Beat Trump + Project 2025,’ he said.

“‘It’s [the banner] kind of a major push for us to try to reach people — especially young voters on the dangers of Project 2025,’ Rahman said. ‘And to really show people that if you don’t want this to be your future, you have to vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in November.’”

PennLive: Banner urging Penn State fans to ‘Beat Trump, Sack Project 2025′ to fly over Beaver Stadium

[J.D. Prose, 9/7/24]

“‘Penn St: Beat Trump, Sack Project 2025’ reads the banner from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that will be flown over Beaver Stadium until the noon kickoff.

“A statement heavy on football puns from the DNC said that voting for Trump would be ‘a game-losing turnover’ and that students at the university known as ‘Linebacker U’ can vote to ensure that Project 2025 is ‘sacked once and for all.’

“‘It’s college football Saturday and Democrats are making sure Penn State students and Pennsylvanians know that we need to leave it all on the field this November 5 to beat Donald Trump and J.D. Vance’s extreme agenda,’ said Addy Toevs, a DNC spokesperson. ‘That’s why we’re blanketing the sky to call out Project 2025 with banners from tailgate until kickoff over Beaver Stadium.’”

Detroit News: Democrats to fly banner at UM game tying JD Vance to Ohio State

[Craig Mauger, 9/7/24]

“The Democratic National Committee plans to fly a banner that tells University of Michigan fans that Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance loves Ohio State University above tailgates ahead of a football game in Ann Arbor Saturday.

“‘The Big House will be rocking today and fans from all over the world will be reminded that Donald Trump and Ohio’s own JD Vance want to move this country backwards through Project 2025,’ said Abhi Rahman, the DNC’s deputy communications director. ‘Michigan will be a major reason why Donald Trump and JD Vance will never see the White House and Kamala Harris and Coach Tim Walz will win in November.’

“‘The words ‘Go Blue’ have never meant more than they do right now,’ Rahman added.”

Detroit Free Press: DNC flies plane over Michigan Stadium with banner blasting Ohio State fan JD Vance

[Clara Hendrickson and Liam Rappleye, 9/7/24]

“The Democratic National Committee flew a plane to take its anti-Vance message to the skies over the Michigan Stadium for four hours during fans’ tailgate before the 12 p.m. kickoff at the U-M game against Texas. In addition to noting Vance’s support for Ohio State, the banner in a few words tries to attach Vance to Project 2025, the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation’s playbook for the next Republican presidential administration.”

Michigan Live: Democrats flying banner over Michigan game that targets JD Vance

[Rose White, 9/7/24]

“The Democratic National Committee is flying a banner over the Big House that targets Republican Vice Presidential Candidate JD Vance, saying ‘JD Vance loves Ohio State + Project 2025.’ It was scheduled to fly for four hours during the tailgate in Ann Arbor and leading up to the kickoff at noon.”

WLWT: DNC uses Vance’s Ohio State roots against him in highly unconventional banner ad displayed at the University of Michigan’s football game

[Kurt Knue, 9/7/24]

“The Democratic National Committee used Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance’s alma mater of Ohio State against him in a highly unconventional campaign ad on Saturday.

“The DNC flew a plane with a banner around Michigan’s football stadium as the team was gearing up to play against the University of Texas.

“The banner read ‘JD Vance ❤️ Ohio State + Project 2025.’”