Army Navy Game

Mlt852

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Our DS will be attending USMA. I read somewhere about parents purchasing tickets to the game at R Day. I see the game is in Baltimore and we live in So Cal.. Do Plebes travel to the game? Would it be worthwhile to go to see my DS?
 
Yes, Yes, and Yes!! It is a blast! I recommend all plebe parents go!
 
with all the other travel cost plebe year, (r-day, a-day, PPW), I thought we might save the army-navy game till the following year. Is there a reason to go plebe year as opposed to going the other years?

It looks like a blast. I'm just wondering if I should spread out some of the "fun".
 
I am a lifetime sports fan. I attended the last 2 Army-Navy games. It is the best sporting event I have ever attended. It is soooooo much more than just another ballgame, though.

I bought my first tix through WP. The seats were chosen for me. I was 5 rows from the top of the stadium, directly above the Corps. The game was awesome, but seats were relatively terrible.

I liked it much more being able to choose exactly where we sat for the Philly game, also where I could see the Cadets and watch them during the game.

Oh, and Baltimore was awesome with the way downtown is set up and the Stadium was walking distance.
 
with all the other travel cost plebe year, (r-day, a-day, PPW), I thought we might save the army-navy game till the following year. Is there a reason to go plebe year as opposed to going the other years? It looks like a blast. I'm just wondering if I should spread out some of the "fun".

We did not go my DS's Plebe year (in Baltimore) but we did go last year in Philly. We lucked out with wonderfully warm weather and a hotel within walking distance of the stadium. Not a football fan here, but there is so much more to see/do at the game and the day before (Patriot games, misc. groups/events going on-boxing match, pipes & drums competition, visiting the hosting city). I only purchased the football cadet tickets through WP (~$80 ea; nosebleed, parent section) but they were still good seats for us. The helicopters that fly over the stadium before the game went directly above us, and we had an upclose view of the parachute teams (big Army/Navy). My plan is to do it the same way again in 2017. Go if/when you can but definitely go at least once! You will get to see your Plebe (mine hiked up to our section in his kilt and sat with us long enough to get some pictures).

Depending on how close you live to WP and how easy it is to afford the trip to WP, you should go as much or as little that works for you. It seems like there is always something going on at WP during the week or on the weekends. I'm in the Midwest and went to WP 4 times Plebe year (R-day, A-day, Army/AF game, PPW). My first trip Yearling year is next weekend for the Military Tattoo (Pipes & Drums). Not sure if I'll make it at all Cow year as my DS will be doing study abroad Spring semester. But, I hear there are a few key activities for parents Firstie year, so I'll be saving up for those (and also visiting my then-Cow in his study abroad country).
 
Our DS will be attending USMA. I read somewhere about parents purchasing tickets to the game at R Day. I see the game is in Baltimore and we live in So Cal.. Do Plebes travel to the game? Would it be worthwhile to go to see my DS?

Yes, the entire Corps attends Army/Navy. If your Plebe is in any of the sports/clubs that also participate that weekend, you will want to see that (mule riders, Rabble Rousers, participating in Patriot games, cannon crew, boxing team, pipes & drums, judo, etc.). Many of these groups/events are the day before, spread out over the host city. If your Plebe is not involved in those groups but sitting with the Corps during the game, it's also fun to watch the spirit/enthusiasm and rivalry of the cadets & midshipmen. There is also a march-on a few hours prior to the game -- it's not the entire Corps but very impressive to watch (especially when you compare the marching / lines of cadets to midshipmen).;)
 
Thank you all for the comments. I'll have to pick up a second job to cover the costs of travel, but I'll figure that our
 
I think most of the state parents clubs do packages for tickets and tailgates. I know Michigan does, and we are sending ours in today. We are sooooo stoked to go. I have watched that game every year as long as I can remember, always rooting for Army, as my dad was an Army Korean War vet, and my wife rooted for Navy as her dad was a Navy Vietnam vet. It bothered her that my son always rooted for Army too. Now she is all in for Army. Lol. We are all really looking forward to it.

I honestly think this may be the year we break the streak. GO ARMY!!! BEAT NAVY!!!!!!
 
Your best bet for tickets is to stubhub them close to the game. Tons of people plant to go and then beg off, and tickets reserved for sponsors go unused and get sold off.

Baltimore is a **** city and a **** location for the game, because it's a Navy home game. I don't know why we have to keep going back there. As usual, USMA leadership and ODIA prove their ineffectiveness against the one-ton Navy sports machine.
 
I liked Baltimore because of the Inner Harbor, Little Italy and so many restaurants & bars being within walking distance. Fort McHenry was worth the visit, IMHO. The mix of fans around town and at the game felt 50/50 even though you could say it is a de facto home game for Navy. It's still a national game.

I can't figure out why the game isn't played at MetLife if they are going to play in Baltimore so much.
 
I liked Baltimore because of the Inner Harbor, Little Italy and so many restaurants & bars being within walking distance. Fort McHenry was worth the visit, IMHO. The mix of fans around town and at the game felt 50/50 even though you could say it is a de facto home game for Navy. It's still a national game.

I can't figure out why the game isn't played at MetLife if they are going to play in Baltimore so much.
MetLife is even worse than Baltimore. It's nowhere near the city, so there's no "let's walk to the game and eat enroute" atmosphere. They did it there in 2002 and it was the worst A/N I've ever been to (out of about 15 of them now).

Baltimore is a 100% Navy town. Army fans turn out, but every business, every restaurant, and the stadium itself is noticeably pro-Navy. The only correct location for the game is Philly. It's halfway, and Philly really puts on the dog for the game.

There are some nice parts of Baltimore, but overall it lacks the niceties of Philly and certainly doesn't provide the atmosphere that the city of brotherly love does.
 
The location of the A-N game is determinedly by contract jointly with USNA and USMA sports organizations. Cities bid for the hosting opportunity, roughly like the Olympics. Philly considers itself the "Home of the Game." PHL Sports, formerly the Philadelphia Sports Congress, puts together the consortium that raises the money for the bid. Cities know this game brings in big revenues to retail establishments, but they have to pony up lots of cash to the respective Army and Navy sports organizations, for whom the A-N game is the biggest money-maker of the year. It's a multi-year contract, with the winning bidder getting X number of games, and other cities (Baltimore, DC, Meadowlands back a few years) getting a game or two in the cycle.

I have always heard this, but don't know if actually true, that the bidding cities must underwrite transportation for the Corps and Brigade if not reasonably drivable by bus. So, even if San Francisco put together a great bid, the transport for 8000+ mids and cadets would be prohibitive. Philly always seems like the best halfway place.

Edit: Just found this article, which talks about the upcoming contract cycle and mentions the Corps/Brigade transport issue.

The negotiations for the next cycle are ramping up.

http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/ph-ac-cs-armynavy-contracts-121015-20151209-story.html
 
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The location of the A-N game is determinedly by contract jointly with USNA and USMA sports organizations. Cities bid for the hosting opportunity, roughly like the Olympics. Philly considers itself the "Home of the Game." PHL Sports, formerly the Philadelphia Sports Congress, puts together the consortium that raises the money for the bid. Cities know this game brings in big revenues to retail establishments, but they have to pony up lots of cash to the respective Army and Navy sports organizations, for whom the A-N game is the biggest money-maker of the year. It's a multi-year contract, with the winning bidder getting X number of games, and other cities (Baltimore, DC, Meadowlands back a few years) getting a game or two in the cycle.

I have always heard this, but don't know if actually true, that the bidding cities must underwrite transportation for the Corps and Brigade if not reasonably drivable by bus. So, even if San Francisco put together a great bid, the transport for 8000+ mids and cadets would be prohibitive. Philly always seems like the best halfway place.
USMA always falls for the Baltimore bid, like suckers. They did it in 2001, and have done it numerous times since. I don't think the cities underwrite any transport costs. The vast majority of the corps travels privately to the game. It was played at the Rose bowl in 1983.
 
I ran across an excellent Documentary that Chronicles the iconic rivalry between Army and Navy, "A Game of Honor". It follows the 2011 teams through the season, interviewing various players, their ups, their downs, their dreams and especially the importance they place on this one game every year. It is historically important to our Country as well, being the only scheduled Collegiate Football game televised that Saturday. Gary Sinise does a great job Narrating the program. I found and purchased it on Amazon. I'm retired Navy, but until watching this, had no Idea just what a big deal the Army Navy game was. I would like to say "Go Navy, Beat Army", but DD is at USAFA. Conflicted!
 
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I ran across an excellent Documentary that Chronicles the iconic rivalry between Army and Navy, "A Game of Honor". It follows the 2011 teams through the season, interviewing various players, their ups, their downs, their dreams and especially the importance they place on this one game every year. It is historically important to our Country as well, being the only scheduled Collegiate Football game televised that Saturday. Gary Sinise does a great job Narrating the program. I found and purchased it on Amazon. I'm retired Navy, but until watching this, had no Idea just what a big deal the Army Navy game was. I would like to say "Go Navy, Beat Army", but DD is at USAFA. Conflicted!
That's my favorite documentary!! It aired December in 2011. I remember watching it that day! I was in eight grade at the time! Highly recommend it to anyone!
 
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