Time - out ( sport ) In sport s , a time - out is a halt in the play . This allows the coaches of either team to communicate with the team , e . g . , to determine strategy or inspire morale . Time - outs are usually called by coaches or players , although for some sports , TV timeouts are called to allow media to air commercial breaks . Teams usually call timeouts at strategically important points in the match , or to avoid the team being called for a delay of game - type violation . List of time - out rules by sport . Gridiron football . In gridiron football , the use and rationing of time - outs is a major part of strategy ; calling time - out stops the clock ( which normally is running between plays except in the case of a penalty , an incomplete pass , officials requiring time to re - spot the ball and / or down markers , or when the ball is run out of bounds ) , extending the time a team has to score . Timeouts can be called by both players ( typically the quarterback ) and the head coach . The number of timeouts is limited to three per team per half in the National Football League and in college football , to two per half in amateur Canadian football , and to one per half in the Canadian Football League . Unused timeouts do not carry over to the next half . If overtime is required in the NFL , each team gets two timeouts during a fifteen - minute sudden - death period , while in college football each team gets one timeout per possession . If a timeout above these limits is called , it is ignored and no penalty is assessed . Teams use several methods to stop the clock without exhausting a timeout . These include : In the NFL and CFL , a timeout is assessed against a team if a head coach unsuccessfully challenges a play . A common practice in the NFL is to call a timeout right before a potential game - winning or game - tying field goal , a strategy known as " icing the kicker . " In theory , this strategy works because the kicker has prepared himself mentally to make the kick only to have the timeout break his concentration . While this strategy has seemingly worked on occasion , statistics suggest that not only is this an ineffective strategy , but is actually counterproductive because kickers are more likely to make a field goal after a timeout is called . There have also been times when the tactic has directly backfired ; for example , in an NFL game played on November 19 , 2007 , between the Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans , Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan called a timeout to ice the kicker . It was difficult to hear the whistle and the play continued , with Titans kicker Rob Bironas badly shanking a 56 - yard field goal . The play was restarted , this time without a timeout , and the kick was good . Since a team is not allowed to call multiple timeouts between plays , they are prohibited from trying to ice a kicker more than once on the same kick ; attempting to do so results in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty , giving the kicking team 15 yards and an automatic first down . Baseball . Baseball players and managers of the offensive and defensive team , as well as umpires , can request time out for a number of purposes , such as for a batter to step out of the batter ' s box to better prepare for a pitch , to replace a worn ball , for a manager to speak with a player or umpire or to replace one player with another ( for which a time - out is required by the rules ) , etc . The requested time out is not effective unless an umpire grants it verbally or by hand signal ( both hands raised ) . Since there is no clock in baseball , the main effect of a time out is to temporarily prevent the defensive team from tagging base runners out or delivering a pitch as well as to prevent base runners from advancing . However , the catcher may also request timeout once the pitcher has stepped on the rubber ; usually with the intention of either " resetting " the play , or to deliver some information to the pitcher via either signals or a visit to the mound . Under certain ( uncommon ) circumstances specified by the rules , umpires are required to call time out , even while a play is in progress , such as certain cases of interference . Unlike many other sports , the rules of baseball do not limit time outs , either by number or duration . The end of the time out is indicated by an umpire verbally declaring " Play ! " and / or by pointing at the pitcher while he is holding the ball ( these umpire signals are identical to those used to start a game or resume play after the ball has become " dead , " for example due to a half - inning ending ) . Since baseball provides natural breaks in the action when teams exchange offensive and defensive roles between half - innings ( two minutes , five seconds normally ; two minutes and twenty - five seconds for nationally televised games ) , " TV timeouts " are not necessary . Other than coaching visits , which the umpires ensure stay brief , timeouts theoretically have no time limits . However , when no runners occupy a base , a pitcher must deliver the pitch within twelve seconds of receiving the ball from the catcher or else a " delay of game " is called , resulting in a ball . Also , any relief pitcher is limited to eight warm - up throws before play resumes , except in special circumstances ( such as a pitcher substitution due to injury ) . Though not officially recognized as a " timeout , " a stoppage in play can also be requested by the defense . This can be accomplished in several ways . First , once in his " set " position , the pitcher may stop play by stepping off the rubber prior to his windup . Secondly , the catcher may visit the pitcher at any point before he steps on the rubber . Finally , the manager or pitching coach may also visit the pitcher before he steps on the rubber ( called a " coaching visit " ) . Under MLB rules , a team is limited to one visit per inning and a maximum of three per game . Under NFHS ( high school ) rules , a team receives three mound visits for the game and can use more than one an inning . If a team exceeds the limit in either MLB or high school ball , the pitcher must be removed immediately . Basketball . In International basketball , timeouts can only be called by the coach . In most USA based leagues , they can be called by both players and coaches . In American college basketball , there are two systems of timeouts used . In games that are " not " broadcast , each team is allowed four 75 - second and two 30 - second timeouts per regulation game . In games which are broadcast on television , radio , or over the Internet , each team is granted one 60 - second timeout and four 30 - second timeouts per game in addition to the media timeouts each half . In the North American National Basketball Association , the rule on timeouts is more complex . Teams are allowed one 20 - second timeout per half , and six regular timeouts , of one minute in length over the course of the entire game . During a 20 - second timeout , only one player may be substituted . During a regular timeout , there is no limit on substitutions . In the first and third quarter , there must be two 100 - second timeouts . If neither team has taken a timeout prior to 6 : 00 of the first or third period , the Official Scorer must take it at the first dead ball and charge it to the home team . If no subsequent timeouts are taken prior to 3 : 00 , the Official Scorer must take it and charge it to the team not previously charged . In the second and fourth quarter , there must be three 100 - second timeouts . If neither team has taken a timeout prior to 9 : 00 of the second or fourth period , a mandatory timeout is called by the Official Scorer and charged to neither team . If there are no subsequent timeouts taken prior to 6 : 00 , the Official Scorer must take it at the first dead ball and charge it to the home team . If no subsequent timeouts are taken prior to 3 : 00 , the Official Scorer must take it and charge it to the team not previously charged . In the fourth quarter , each team is limited to a maximum of three timeouts and if a team has two or three full timeouts remaining when the fourth period reaches the 2 : 00 mark , one of the timeouts will be changed to a 20 - second timeout and it will retain one full timeout . In overtime periods , each team shall be allowed two 60 - second timeouts and one 20 - second timeout . If a team has two full timeouts remaining when the overtime period reaches the 2 : 00 mark , one of the timeouts will be changed to a 20 - second timeout . The Official Scorer notifies a team when it has been charged with a mandatory timeout . Additional timeouts in a period , beyond those that are mandatory , are for 60 seconds . Under both college and NBA rules , if a team calls a timeout when it has none left , the team is assessed a technical foul . ( In college basketball , this means the team loses possession of the ball . In the NBA , the team keeps the ball because technical fouls do not carry automatic loss of possession . ) The most famous incident of this rule happened during the 1993 NCAA championship game when Chris Webber , playing for the University of Michigan Wolverines , called a time - out with 11 seconds left in the game . The technical foul thus received secured the game victory for the opponents , the University of North Carolina . A similar episode happened in a 2008 game between the Phoenix Suns and the Seattle SuperSonics , when Sonics forward Wally Szczerbiak , with his team trailing by one in the final 15 seconds , called a timeout that the Sonics didn ' t have , after not being able to inbound the ball in 5 seconds . The mistake cost the Sonics possession and the game , being defeated 103 - 99 . Beach Volleyball . In beach volleyball , the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball ( FIVB ) stipulates one 30 - second time - out allowed per team , per set . In FIVB World Competitions , there is an additional 30 - second technical time - out in sets 1 - 2 when the sum of both scores is equal to 21 . Ice hockey . In ice hockey , each team is allowed one thirty - second time - out per game , which may only be taken during a normal stoppage of play . In the National Hockey League , only one team is permitted a time out during stoppage . However in the International Ice Hockey Federation rules , both teams are permitted a time out during the same stoppage , but the second team must notify the referee before the opponent ' s time - out expires . Floorball . In floorball , each team is allowed one thirty - second time - out per game , which may only be taken during a normal stoppage of play . The time - out is measured from when all the players is gathered around the team benches . Team handball . In team handball , one sixty - second time - out per half per team is allowed . Time - outs are called by the head coach by handing a green time - out card to the match official , and can only be called when the team is in possession of the ball . Volleyball . In volleyball , the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball ( FIVB ) stipulates two 30 - second time - outs allowed per team , per set . In FIVB World and Official Competitions , there are two additional 60 - second technical time - out s in each set when the leading team reaches the 8th and 16th points , however there is no technical time - out in a tie - break ing set ( 5th set ) .