Governor Christie: Metlife Stadium Has Been Selected To Host The 2021 Army-Navy Game

Transcript:

Governor Christie: It’s a really exciting day for New Jersey, really exciting day the city of East Rutherford and one of the truly great games in not just college football, but in all of football will be returning to New Jersey for their 122^ndcontest. We’re proud to announce that MetLife Stadium has been selected to host the 2021 Army-Navy Game, which will take place on December 11^th, 2021, and that will be the year we are going to be recognizing, believe it or not, the 20th anniversary of the attacks of September 11^th in 2001. And I think we’re greatly indebted to the folks at West Point, at the Naval Academy in Annapolis for giving New Jersey the opportunity on that 20th anniversary to recognize sacrifices of the people here in this state and in our region by moving the Army-Navy game here to MetLife Stadium. This game will be the fifth time that Army-Navy Game has been played in New Jersey but the first time that it has been played since 2002. Now they have down here that I’m supposed to give the score of the game in 2002 but I like the folks at Army so I’m not going give the score. The Army-Navy Game is a week-long celebration, it’s not just one day. It has great economic impact on the place that hosts it. Studies have shown that the economic impact is over $30 million. It will bring somewhere around 50,000 new visitors here to MetLife Stadium and to our region during that entire week when people come to celebrate what has become really the best rivalry in college football. Part of the decision making process here was to make sure that an appropriate tribute was made to all those people who have sacrificed in the aftermath of September 11^th, 2001. And to be able to have this exactly 20 years and three months after those attacks will be I think a particularly emotional and poignant moment for the men and women of the Military Academy and the Naval Academy will be here to root on their teams, for the men who will be playing for Army and Navy that day, who will also be a part of defending our country moving forward and meeting the mission that was placed before us that was placed before us on September 11^th, 2001. Which is not just for our military men and women but for all of us to contribute to protecting the homeland and making sure that our country is kept safe for all of our 300 plus million citizens.