Duval Times

Senator Rick Scott has joined Senator Dan Sullivan and 55 other members of Congress in a call to preserve the tradition of the Army-Navy football game. They have sent a letter to the executive directors of the College Football Playoff and Bowl Season, requesting that future schedules keep the second Saturday in December exclusively for this event.

The letter highlights the significance of the Army-Navy game, which is often referred to as "America's Game." It emphasizes its importance during World War II and its continued popularity among Americans, including military personnel. The game is known for being played in sold-out NFL venues, bringing patriotism and pageantry to both fans at the stadium and residents of host cities.

The congressional members express concern over additional games scheduled on the same day as this year's Army-Navy game, marking a first since 2009. They argue that these competing events detract from the focus on armed forces provided by a dedicated broadcast day. According to them, pregame events inspire young Americans' interest in military service, and these are now threatened by preceding televised college football games.

The letter also acknowledges that college commissioners had previously agreed to schedule around the Army-Navy game when expanding to a twelve-team College Football Playoff (CFP). Despite this respect shown by college football leaders, they point out that other bowl games will coincide with this year's event due to CFP expansion.

In their appeal, they state: “We feel there is no other block of time in television programming that rekindles our nation's patriotism, unity, and confidence in the military.” They urge setting aside future dates solely for preserving what they describe as a "time-honored tradition."

The letter was initially reported by Dan Saksheske at Outkick.