Those who like the current format of the Army-Navy game, the buildup, the coverage, and the postgame, will be glad to know that their experience will not change drastically for at least the next 10 years.
It was announced this week that CBS Sports has agreed on a 10-year extension for broadcasting the game. It keeps one of the greatest rivalries in sports – and some will say it is THE greatest rivalry in sports – on America’s most-watched network.
One of the keys here was to retain the Army-Navy game’s placement on the calendar. Yes, this placement does have the potential to mess up the bowl situations for the Mids (and all the AAC teams for that matter) but this game simply had to remain on the second Saturday in December to give the players and the academies the spotlight they deserve.
“Army-Navy is more than a game, and it’s an honor to continue broadcasting this epic annual event,” said CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus in a release announcing the extension. “Moving the game in 2009 allowed us to further shine a spotlight on Army-Navy, as we tell the compelling stories on and off the field of the young people at the Service Academies. Army-Navy is a cornerstone of our college football programming and we could not be more proud to continue this relationship.”
With the TV deal locked down, the only questions now revolve around where the game will be played each year. The 2018 version will be played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and keeping the contest in NFL Stadia in the Northeast seems to be the goal for the two administrations. This is mainly due to the ease of travel for fans of the two schools because the game would be a sellout no matter where it is played.
