Ten Hut! Baltimore Hoping To Land Future Army-Navy Games

Baltimore Looking To Host Future Army-Navy Football Game

M&T Bank Stadium will host the annual Army-Navy football game Saturday, and Ravens and Baltimore officials "already say they want the ... game back in future years," according to Childs Walker of the Baltimore SUN. The city, which is hosting the game for the fourth time, "is likely to face stiff competition, however, from the game's traditional home in Philadelphia and other cities along the East Coast."  The game will be played at Lincoln Financial Field in '08 and '09, and Army and Navy officials "are expected to discuss plans for games beyond that in the first half of next year." Navy AD Chet Gladchuck said that he "expects bidding for the games to be fierce," noting 15 cities bid on the game the last time the contract was for bid. Ravens President Dick Cass said, "We would love to see it back. We have a great venue for it." Philadelphia Sports Congress Exec Dir Larry Needle said, "In a perfect world, we'd love to have it every year. But we understand that the academies want to reach out to fans in different markets on occasion." Gladchuck said that New Jersey "is interested in hosting the game at its planned new stadium at the Meadowlands." Walker noted despite an expected sellout of over 70,000 fans, the game "is not hugely profitable for the Ravens." Under the current deal, the academies receive $4M annually from the host city, and Cass said that with the guaranteed payout, the Ravens "will probably just break even on the game." The Ravens subsidize the amount "with revenues from ticket sales, concessions, parking and hospitality tents" (Baltimore SUN, 11/26).