Why Notre Dame-Navy in Charlotte Makes Sense
College football's vagabond rivalry could see another home if Charlotte's Army-Navy pursuit falls flat.
Last week brought sad news for the Queen City as their bid to host an Army-Navy Game between 2023 and 2027 fell short, as they were not one of the five selected cities. However, Charlotte’s pursuit for Service Academy football should not end there.
Notre Dame-Navy is arguably one of college football’s most traveled rivalries with games played in Cleveland, Baltimore, East Rutherford, NJ, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., San Diego, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Dublin. They could add one more city to the list in Charlotte.
Navy has a short, but interesting history in the Queen City as they played in the 2006 Meineke Car Care Bowl, losing to Boston College before a solid crowd of 52,303 fans. Notre Dame also has some history in Charlotte, playing in the 2020 ACC Championship Game against Clemson. They were also slated to play Wake Forest at Bank of America Stadium in the Duke’s Mayo Classic that same year, but the pandemic nixed those plans.
A Notre Dame-Navy game in Charlotte has the potential to draw Navy fans in droves. Sailors and Marines from the Virginia Beach and Quantico would likely also show up to Charlotte in large numbers in addition to local fans making the manageable drive from the DMV.
In addition to travel, the brand power of both schools is strong enough to draw local crowds along with fans related to the Navy. While Notre Dame had made more frequent trips to North Carolina due to its agreement with the ACC, the novelty of seeing the Fighting Irish, still one of college football’s most polarizing programs, persists.
The Queen City wants to showcase Service Academy football. Despite not getting their bid for America’s Game, Notre Dame-Navy is a worthy consolation and could draw just as much revenue for the city. The rivalry has traveled to many cities in the United States and abroad and Charlotte is a more than deserving name to add to the list.