President Trump wants Army-Navy game to remain exclusive TV territory
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As the power brokers in college football try to muscle in on the exclusivity of the annual Army-Navy football game, President Donald Trump has stated: Hands off.
In a statement issued late Saturday evening, the president proclaimed the Army-Navy Game should remain the only college football contest played on an established second Saturday in December.
Stated over his Truth Social media account, Mr. Trump declared: “The Army-Navy Game is one of our Greatest American Traditions – Unmatched Patriotism, Courage, and Honor! This incredible Tradition is now at risk of being pushed aside by more College Playoff Games, and Big TV Money. NOT ANYMORE!
“Under my Administration the second Saturday in December belongs to Army-Navy, and ONLY Army-Navy! I will soon sign a Historic Executive Order securing an EXCLUSIVE 4 hour Broadcast window, so this National Event stands above Commercial Postseason Games. No other Game or Team can violate this Time Slot!!!”
The leadership of the American Conference praised the proclalmation.
On Sunday afternoon, American commissioner Tim Pernetti stated: “We thank President Donald J. Trump and our legislators for their commitment to protecting the Army-Navy game. This game is a national treasure, where the true commitment of our future leaders is on display. As collegiate athletics continues to modernize in an uncharted landscape, the support of our leaders in Washington is crucial.
“Alongside our member institutions, we look forward to working together to enhance the experience for student-athletes. There are opportunities for change that provide creative, sustainable economic solutions, without compromising tradition, while protecting the mission of delivering educational opportunities through sports.”
The Army-Navy game has been played since 1890, and has been nationally televised since 1960. The 2025 contest drew 7.84 million viewers on CBS, the second-best number for the game since 2018 (9.4 million in 2024).
The Army-Navy football game has drawn good ratings for its patriotism and celebration of the military branches, but also because it’s been the only major college game played on the second Saturday in December since 2008 — that decision was made by the schools as more college games began squeezing into the first weekend of December and academy officials moved the game a week later. Now the Army-Navy game serves as the dessert to the college football regular season and bridge to the postseason bowl games.
In fact, the exclusivity of the game was paramount in West Point’s decision to leave the independent ranks and join existing member Navy in the American Conference in October 2023, ahead of the 2024 regular season. To accommodate, the league allows for the Army-Navy game to be slated a non-league contest and be played a week after the American championship game, which also happens to be two days before bowl assignments go out.
The danger of Army-Navy losing its exclusive time slot has become more apparent as leagues such as the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference lobby hard for the College Football Playoff to be expanded once again. The 2025-26 CFP included 12 teams — an expansion to 16, as the SEC proposes, would not necessarily endanger the Army-Navy date since it would only add four more first-round games to the third weekend of December, but the Big Ten’s notion of making it 24 teams would certainly expand the CFP into another weekend of opening-round games that would surely be wedged into the second weekend of the month.
An expanded CFP could play on the same weekend as Army-Navy, taking up television windows available on a Friday night and three possible windows on Saturday — the TV networks generally have Eastern time zone start times at noon, 3:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. It’s possible Army-Navy could maintain its slot in the latter afternoon (the recent games have started shortly after 3 p.m. ET) and ensure Western time-zone interest, with the CFP playoffs before and after. However, a glut of playoff games on other networks — even with an exclusive window — would certainly draw numbers, and attention away from the academy matchup, something President Trump, Pernetti and others would like to protect.
The president’s social post concluded: “On the field, they are rivals, but on the battlefield they are America’s unstoppable Patriots, defending our Country with tremendous Strength and Heart. We most protect the Tradition, and the Players, who protect us. Please let this serve as Notice to ALL Television Networks, Stations, and Outlets. God Bless America, and God Bless our great Army-Navy Game!!!”
kmcmillan@th-record.com
X / Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: President Trump issues order to preserve Army-Navy football game
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