CHESTER, Pa. – Army-Navy Cup returns to Talen Energy Stadium for the sixth time on Sunday, October 15 as the two service academies renew their rivalry with this patriotic event, scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. ET kickoff.
"Keystone Sports and Entertainment is excited to host this match between the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy at the home of Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union," said Tim McDermott, Chief Business Officer for the Union. "We are truly honored to be a part of the journey for these great young people, the future leaders of our military and our country.
"Having created this extraordinary event, it is gratifying to see it continue to exceed expectations year after year. We look forward to this being a part of the sports landscape at Talen Energy Stadium not only this year, but for many years to come."
Army-Navy Cup has seen significant growth over its five years at Talen Energy Stadium. After the inaugural match drew a crowd of 3,700 supporters in 2012, the 2013 edition nearly doubled that number, topping the 7,000 mark. Following the foundation of an Army-Navy Cup host committee, the game has since expanded to attract over 30,000 supporters over the past three editions combined. During that time, attendance was among the top handful of crowds for a college soccer match anywhere in the country and the largest crowds east of the Mississippi.
"For the past five years, Army-Navy Cup has been a marquee event in the fall for college soccer," said Boo Corrigan, Director of Athletics at Army West Point. "There has been a great atmosphere at Talen Energy Stadium that rivals any soccer match around the country. Thank you to the Philadelphia Union and members of the Army-Navy host committee, along with PHL Sports and Destination Delco, for their continued support of our two service academies and the growth of the rivalry."
While the rivalry between academies is legendary, both sides agree on the quality of the experience for athletes and supporters alike.
"In each of the last five years, the annual Army-Navy men's soccer match has been a highlight of our fall sports season," added Chet Gladchuk, Director of Athletics at Navy. "Our players, coaches and fans have thoroughly enjoyed the fantastic environment and every game has been a fight right to the finish. Talen Energy Stadium is a superb venue and brings the 'whole package' to our Army-Navy rivalry. We look forward to this year's Army-Navy Cup."
Talen Energy Stadium played host to the inaugural Army-Navy Cup in 2012 with the series currently deadlocked, each side holding a 2-2-1 record over the span. The debut edition in 2012 ended in a draw. Navy won in both 2013 and 2014, while Army has taken the contest in each of the last two years. Broadcast and ticket information for this year's Army-Navy Cup VI will be distributed at a later date.
In the all-time rivalry between the two clubs, Navy leads the series against Army, 40-29-14.
ABOUT PHILADELPHIA UNION
Philadelphia was awarded the 16th Major League Soccer franchise on Feb. 28, 2008 and the Union were officially named on May 11, 2009. Owned and operated by Keystone Sports and Entertainment, LLC, the group launched the Philadelphia Union's inaugural season on March 25, 2010 and opened Talen Energy Stadium on June 27. Throughout the club's history, the Union have reached the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final in 2014 and 2015, and have also reached the MLS playoffs in 2011 and 2016. In 2017, Philadelphia Union will celebrate eight years of top-flight action at Talen Energy Stadium, a soccer-specific stadium that has hosted internationally known clubs Celtic, Chivas de Guadalajara, Everton, Schalke 04, Aston Villa, Pumas UNAM, Stoke City, Crystal Palace and AFC Bournemouth. For more information about Philadelphia Union, visit www.philadelphiaunion.com.
