Army-Navy game is ‘college football at its purest form’ amid NIL era, sponsor’s CEO says

The landscape of college sports is changing rapidly with the rise of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals. Athletes are now able to capitalize on their personal brands like never before, with some receiving lucrative offers to switch allegiances to different schools. However, there are two teams that are unable to participate in this new era of college athletics – Army and Navy.

USAA CEO Wayne Peacock describes Army and Navy as a “one-way portal” into the academies, meaning that once a student-athlete commits to either school, they are unable to benefit from NIL deals. Despite this limitation, the rivalry between Army and Navy remains as fierce as ever, with the 125th edition of the Army-Navy game set to take place on Saturday just outside of Washington, D.C.

One of the most recent examples of the impact of NIL deals in college sports is the case of Bryce Underwood, who flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan after receiving a seven-figure offer. Even potential No. 1 NBA Draft pick A.J. Dybantsa reportedly received a $5 million offer to commit to BYU. These staggering amounts of money are reshaping the recruiting landscape in college athletics.

Peacock emphasizes the purity of college football displayed in the Army-Navy game, where student-athletes compete with a sense of duty and honor. After the game, players from both teams come together to sing each other’s alma mater and don the uniform of the United States, highlighting the deeper significance of the rivalry.

USAA has been the presenting sponsor of the Army-Navy game since 2009 and recently announced that they will continue to support the event through 2030. Army enters the game with an impressive 11-1 record, while Navy stands at 8-3. The Black Knights have dominated the rivalry in recent years, winning six of the last eight meetings, but Navy still holds the overall series lead at 62-55-7.

As college sports continue to evolve in the era of NIL deals, the Army-Navy rivalry serves as a reminder of the values of teamwork, culture, and service. Both on and off the field, these student-athletes exemplify the dedication and sacrifice required to defend our country and our freedom. The Army-Navy game remains a beacon of tradition and excellence in college athletics, unaffected by the changing landscape of NIL deals and recruiting.