Army-Navy football in sunshine instead of snow? It could happen if leaders in Orlando have their say.
Speaking to the Orlando Sentinel last week, the head of the group that controls Camping World Stadium confirmed that he would love to host the troops for the traditional regular season-ending game in early December.
“When you think of events, I love that Orlando can have the opportunity to be a part of something that’s special,” Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan told the paper. “The Army-Navy game would be an experience for people in Central Florida and the people who have traditionally attended the game in Philadelphia or Baltimore.”
As Hogan mentioned, the game has typically bounced back and forth between Philly’s Lincoln Financial Field and Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium. MetLife Stadium in the New York City area is also scheduled to host in 2021 but beyond that, the game’s location appears up for grabs.
That’s where Orlando and Camping World Stadium comes into play. The Florida Citrus Sports group expects an RFP from the Midshipmen and Black Knights at some point soon though the growing coronavirus pandemic could result in business as usual being pushed back some.
The game has been hosted outside the typical northeast corridor before -- though a jaunt south would be something new. Soldier Field in Chicago has hosted once, as has the Rose Bowl. Still, the game has been played at a neutral site south of the Mason-Dixon line just once in a 2011 trip to FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.
Moving the game to Florida would be more in line with what both service academies have been doing in recent years too by hosting games around the country in order to play closer to Army and Navy bases. This includes recent Midshipmen games against Notre Dame in Jacksonville and San Diego.
