The military bowl happens every year at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland. And in 2023, the military bowl date is December 28. You should be able to catch it at 2 P.M ET. But aside from the location, you will want to know about other aspects, such as how to get tickets and what the military bowl parking rules are. So, continue reading to get all the details on where is the military bowl.
Table of Contents
What is the Military Bowl?
For those unfamiliar with the military bowl, this is a post-season college football game. It has been played every year since 2008. Although it is sometimes mistaken for the Armed Forces bowl being played, the military bowl and Armed Forces bowl are not the same.
1. Origins
The idea for the military bowl was from the Washington, D.C Bowl Committee. The D.C Sports and Entertainment Commission and the Washington, D.C Convention & Tourism Corporation also supported the idea in 2007.
- Note: The Washington, D.C Bowl Committee was founded in December 2006 by Marie Rudolph and Sean Metcalf. Their idea to bring a bowl game to the area was to boost the local economy.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) approved the vision for the college football bowl season in 2008 and so did the ST. Petersburg Bowl. Then on April 30, 2008, the NCAA Postseason Football Licensing Subcommittee greenlighted the committee to host the bowl game after the 2008 college football season.
2. History
The first game happened on December 20, 2008 at 11 AM EST. Today, it is recorded as the first bowl game of the 008 and 09 (2008 to 2009) bowl season. This military bowl was played with the Navy against Wake Forest (on the ACC side).
- Note: ACC is short for Atlantic Coast Conference, which is a collegiate athletic conference in the east of the country. It has 15 members, which are universities that compete in the NCAA.
In 2010, the NCCA granted the bowl a 4-year extension certification, allowing it to be hosted through the 013 and 14 (2013 to 2014) bowl season. In addition, it received sponsorship from Northrop Grumman.
- Note: Upon receiving sponsorship, the bowl was renamed to “Military bowl presented by Northrop Grumman.”
As hoped by the founders, the game generated an additional $18 million for Washington, D.C in 2010. Over $100,000 was also donated to the United Service Organizations Inc. (USO).
- Note: The USO is a nonprofit corporation that offers live entertainment to military members and their families.
Since 2014, the bowl entered a six-year agreement to feature an ACC vs. American Athletic Conference match-up. In 2019, it extended the agreement to the 025 and 26 (2025 to 2026) football season.
3. Past Dates of Games
2008 Season
The playing date was December 20, 2008. It was between the ACC and Navy. The winner was the ACC.
- The winning team was ACC’s Wake Forest.
2009 Season
The playing date was December 29, 2009. It was between the MAC and PAC-10. The winner was the PAC-10.
- The winning team was UCLA.
2010 Season
The playing date was December 29, 2010. It was between the ACC and C-USA. The winner was the ACC.
- The winning team was Maryland.
2011 Season
The playing date was December 29, 2011. It was between the MAC and Mountain West. The winner was the MAC.
- The winning team was Toledo.
2012 Season
The playing date was December 27, 2012. It was between the MAC and WAC. The winner was the WAC.
- The winning team was San Jose State.
2013 Season
The playing date was December 27, 2013. It was between the ACC and C-USA. The winner was the C-USA.
- The winning team was Marshall.
2014 Season
The playing date was December 27, 2014. It was between the ACC and The American (ACC). The ACC won.
- The winning team was Virginia Tech.
2015 Season
The playing date was December 28, 2015. It was between the ACC and The American (ACC). The American won.
- The winning team was the Navy.
2016 Season
The playing date was December 27, 2016. It was between the ACC and The American (ACC). The ACC won.
- The winning team was the ACC’s Wake Forest.
2017 Season
The playing date was December 28, 2015. It was between the ACC and The American (ACC). The American won.
- The winning team was the Navy.
2018 Season
The playing date was December 31, 2018. It was between the ACC and The American (ACC). The American won.
- The winning team was Cincinnati.
2019 Season
The playing date was December 27, 2019. It was between the ACC and The American (ACC). The ACC won.
- The winning team was North Carolina.
2020 Season
The game was cancelled due to the CORONA VIRUS outbreak.
Who Appears Most Often in the Military Bowl (Until 2019)
By Teams:
- The Navy Team appeared 3 times
- The Temple Team appeared 3 times
- The Wake Forest Team appeared 2 times
- The Cincinnati Team appeared 2 times
- The Maryland Team appeared 2 times
- The Virginia Tech Team appeared 2 times
- The Marshall, North Carolina, San Jose State, Toledo, and UCLA Teams appeared once and won
- The Air Force, Bowling Green, East Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Virginia Teams appeared once and lost
By Conferences:
- The ACC took part in 9 games
- The American (ACC) took part in 6 games
- The MAC took part in 3 games
- The C-USA took part in 2 games
- The PAC-10 took part in 1 game
- The WAC took part in 1 game
- The Independents took part in 1 game
- The Mountain West took part in 1 game
How Many People Attend the Military Bowl?
2008 Season: There were 28,777 people in attendance.
2009 Season: There were 23,072 people in attendance.
2010 Season: There were 38,062 people in attendance.
2011 Season: There were 25,042 people in attendance.
2012 Season: There were 17,835 people in attendance.
2013 Season: There were 30,163 people in attendance.
2014 Season: There were 34,277 people in attendance.
2015 Season: There were 36,352 people in attendance.
2016 Season: There were 26,656 people in attendance.
2017 Season: There were 35,921 people in attendance.
2018 Season: There were 32,832 people in attendance.
2019 Season: There were 23,242 people in attendance.
Where is the Military Bowl?
Originally, the game was held in Washington D.C at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. In 2013, it moved to the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland.
You can get tickets to the game on this link here.
When is the 2022 Military Bowl?
The kickoff is at 2.PM but the stadium gates open at 12:30 P.M and the pregame pageantry is at 1:30 P.M.
Where Else Can I See the Military Bowl?
You can catch the game on television and the radio. Here is the list of broadcasters:
For the TV:
- ESPN
For the radio:
- ESPN Radio
- Touchdown Radio
- Nevada Sports Network
Which Channel is the Military Bowl on?
It is on the ESPN channel.
However, ESPN is not only available on cable. You can access it on DirecTV, Xfinity, Google Fiber, Optimum, Dish Network, and Verizon Fios. In addition, you can stream it on Fubo TV, Sling TV, YouTube, etc.
Conclusion
Now, you know the answer to “Where is the military bowl?” and other relevant information. If you are hoping to see this year’s game live, be sure to get tickets early. If you are tuning in through the television or radio, make sure you bookmark this article for information on which channel to turn to.
I am Everett Bledsoe, taking on the responsibility of content producer for The Soldiers Project. My purpose in this project is to give honest reviews on the gear utilized and tested over time. Of course, you cannot go wrong when checking out our package of information and guide, too, as they come from reliable sources and years of experience.