Annual 'Secretaries Cup' Football Game to Air on ESPN

The annual "Secretaries Cup" football game between the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy will be carried on an ESPN network starting in the 2017 football season under a new multiyear agreement. The traditional matchup, which dates back to 1949, will be played during Veterans Day weekend which coincides with the final weekend of regular season play in Division III.

The game has similar pageantry as the Army-Navy CONTEST and alternates between the home field of the two Academies each year - Cadet Memorial Field in New London, Ct. (Coast Guard Academy) and Captain Tomb Field in Kings Point, N.Y. (Merchant Marine Academy).

After the Academies' first matchup in 1949, the two teams played again in 1965 and 1966 before resuming the matchup in 1974 and continuing until 1979. After not matching up in 1980, the rivalry was designated the "Secretaries Cup" prior to their 1981 contest, solidifying the annual game which now has occurred for 36 consecutive seasons. The Merchant Marine Academy holds a 31-14 advantage in the rivalry, including a 31-27 victory earlier this season at Cadet Memorial Field.

Image courtesy of ESPN press

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