The Navy defeated the Army 31-7 on December 14, 2019 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Photo: Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Army-Navy game organizers are visiting Charlotte today, the Charlotte Sports Foundation has confirmed.
What is happening: This is the final formal step in the application process to host a future game, for which Axios’ Katie Peralta Soloff reported Charlotte was in contention last month.
- This is the final official step in the application process to host a future game, which Axios’ Katie Peralta Soloff announced Charlotte was in the running for last month.
Expect to see digital signage for “America’s Game” across town.
Why is this important: This is the Army-Navy game. It’s an iconic college football game. You may not care about sports, but you know it’s the game that attracts sitting presidents and other high-profile politicians.
- Moreover, it has a significant boost for the host city. Organizers in Philadelphia, where the game will take place Dec. 10, estimate it provides $30 million in economic impact, the Capital Gazette reported.
- And the game is generally sold out, “drawing 50,000 out-of-town visitors booking 25,000 hotel rooms, dining in restaurants and spending money in other ways,” according to the Gazette.
The big picture: While the game was played 122 times, it never took place in the South, the Orlando Sentinel first reported. They also reported that the southern cities of Orlando and Dallas were in the running to host the game, along with Boston and Chicago.
Zoom out: Bringing the Army-Navy game to Charlotte would be familiar territory for CSF, which helps host some of Charlotte’s high-profile sporting events, including the ACC Championship Football Game and the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
- Additionally, they are working with Jordan Brand on Jumpman Invitational, a major men’s and women’s college basketball tournament. The three-year deal kicks off in December.
And after: There is no timeline for the announcement, but the game is said to take place within the next five years.
The game first left the East Coast in 1926, heading to Chicago, where 110,000 fans filled Soldier Field. Photo: Bettmann/Getty Images
Rollback: The first game was held at West Point, New York on November 29, 1890. The Navy beat the Army 24-0. Since then, most games have been played in Philadelphia, which sits between the Army’s home in West Point and the Navy’s home in Annapolis, Maryland.
