For generations the Army-Navy Game has been a college football institution all to itself, having an entire day on the calendar specifically dedicated to it. But amid growing criticism of how the game messes with the college football calendar, there is growing momentum to change the date.
In a recent interview with The Athletic, Army head coach Jeff Monken suggested that moving the Army-Navy Game to Thanksgiving Weekend might allow fans of the game to eat their cake and have it too. He suggested a four-hour block on Thanksgiving Thursday, Black Friday or the ensuing Saturday that's all to themselves, allowing the game to have maximum exposure without having to sacrifice exclusivity.
“I think Army-Navy is a huge part of the history of college football, and what it is today, even,” Monken said. “Give us a four-hour block on Thanksgiving, or on Friday of Thanksgiving, or on Saturday of Thanksgiving, and give us a four-hour block, and just say nobody else plays doing this four-hour block. That’s still protecting the game.”
Problems and Non-starters
College football is filled to the brim with arch-traditionalists though and many of them quickly dismissed the idea as foolish for a slew of reasons.
"Man, strongly disagree. Army-Navy having its own weekend is what makes the game special. Putting it on the same weekend as OSU-Michigan and the Iron Bowl feels like a huge mistake," one user on X remarked.
"Not a single person here talking about how this will ruin mids and cadets Thanksgiving Leave periods, because they have to attend the game. It’s our game, don’t ruin it," wrote another.
"LOL. It's basically the busiest weekend on the calendar. How would that help with exposure when there are so many other prominent matchups going on?" a third wrote.
"Terrible call. It has its whole weekend. Why would you want to compete with the top viewed games of the regular season?"
"How does it give the game more exposure? Right now it's all by itself. On Thanksgiving weekend it has to go up against all the other rivalry games."
"No one will watch it on Thanksgiving Weekend."
The appeal of moving the Army-Navy Game really only exists for the people who roll their eyes at having to push the entire college football calendar back a week for observance of the game. Expansion to the College Football Playoff has the final college football game of the season being played in late-January.
As much as the powers that be at both the Army and Navy football programs might be willing to give up their exclusivity for the sake of the rest of the sport, the fans won't allow it.
President Donald Trump might not allow it either.