AAC Commissioner Pernetti Praises Trump for Executive Order Protecting Army-Navy Game Broadcast Window
Tim Pernetti, commissioner of the American Athletic Conference (AAC) since October 2021,[1] expressed "deep gratitude" to U.S. President Donald Trump following the signing of an executive order titled "Preserving America's Game."
The order, signed on March 20, 2026, during a White House ceremony presenting the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy to the Navy Midshipmen football team, directs the Federal Communications Commission and Department of Commerce to work with the NCAA, College Football Playoff and broadcasters to secure an exclusive window for the Army-Navy game, according to Pernetti's statement.
"The American Conference is deeply grateful to President Trump for his strong leadership in issuing the historic executive order to preserve America’s Game," Pernetti said. "This is a meaningful step that protects a cherished national tradition and reinforces what makes the Army-Navy Game so special to our country."
The Army-Navy football rivalry, first played on December 29, 1890,[2] has been held annually since 1930.[2] The game has occupied the second Saturday in December exclusively since 2009 under a CBS Sports agreement renewed multiple times, with the most recent extension announced in December 2023 covering games through at least 2034.[3]
Recent Army-Navy games have drawn 7 million to 10 million viewers, including 9.85 million for the 2023 matchup at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.[4] The December 13, 2025, game was held at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, as noted in event imagery.
The executive order addresses concerns over the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff format, which began in the 2024 season and schedules later-round games in late December, potentially conflicting with the traditional Army-Navy slot.[5]
Pernetti added: "The Army-Navy Game represents far more than football. It honors our service academies, highlights the character and commitment of our future leaders and brings Americans together around values that matter deeply, including service and sacrifice."
Sources
- American Athletic Conference. "Commissioner Tim Pernetti." Accessed October 2024. https://theamerican.org/about/staff/tim-pernetti/
- Wikipedia. "Army–Navy Game." Accessed October 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army%E2%80%93Navy_Game
- CBS Sports Press Release via Sports Business Journal. "CBS Sports extends Army-Navy Game through 2034." December 7, 2023. https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2023/12/07/cbs-sports-army-navy-game-rights-extension/
- Sports Media Watch. "2023 Army-Navy Game viewership." December 2023. https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/12/navy-army-ratings-viewership-cbs/
- College Football Playoff. "12-Team Playoff Schedule." Accessed October 2024. https://collegefootballplayoff.com/schedule/
