An Inside Look at How Army Bankrolls Its Athletics Program

Army, which officially joined the American Athletic Conference this month, received $6.4 million in revenue in the 2023 fiscal year from away-game guarantees, by far most of any public FBS school in the country. That revenue stream nearly equaled the $6.46 million Army reported earning on home ticket sales last fiscal year.

The Black Knights claimed $63.5 million in total operating revenue in FY23, which was less than the two other Division I military service academies, Navy ($68.1 million) and Air Force ($81.2 million).

Army’s NCAA report, as well as other records—including “mostly un-redacted” copies of the service academy’s media rights deals with CBS and Learfield—were recently turned over as part of an agreement to resolve a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed last year by a Sportico reporter.

Until now, Army, like the other service academies, had maintained the position that its athletic records were exempt from public disclosure because of the way in which its athletic department was organized under the umbrella of a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Army West Point Athletic Association (AWPAA).

In response to the litigation, however, West Point and the AWPAA entered into an order of consent agreeing to furnish previously withheld records and respond to future FOIA requests. These latest documents offer new insights into Army’s athletic department at a critical moment as it attempts to fortify its future in the AAC. Through private donations, Army is in the process of a logistically challenging $133 million renovation of historic Michie Stadium.

For this upcoming season, Army is set to receive at least $1.475 million from CBS Sports for the broadcast rights to its home games, and a minimum of $2.95 million from Learfield for its multimedia rights. Both of those agreements were originally inked in August 2017, when Boo Corrigan was serving as athletic director. (Corrigan left to become AD of North Carolina State in 2019.)

In 2021, Army and CBS Sports extended their agreement through 2030.

On top of the base fee, Army receives from the network an additional $25,000 for any game against a Power Five opponent and $50,000 against any team that finished in the “top 10 the previous season college football season.” It does not specify to which ranking system this applies.

According to the grant-of-rights agreement, CBS Sports is to have the exclusive right to telecast any Army home or neutral site football games, specifically including those played at Yankee Stadium. This season, Army and Notre Dame are set to face off in Yankee Stadium on Nov. 23, but the game will be broadcast on NBC/Peacock since the Fighting Irish are considered the home team.

CBS Sports has a separately negotiated deal with West Point and the Naval Academy for rights to the annual Army-Navy Game. (A copy of that agreement redacted the financial figures of the rights fees paid by CBS to the schools.)

Meanwhile, Army’s Learfield agreement runs through 2027.

In addition to its guaranteed rights fee, Army also receives 50% of any adjusted gross revenue Learfield earns above $5.9 million. In its NCAA financial report for 2023, Army reported total media rights earnings of $4,050,000.

As additional considerations, Learfield pays Army an annual bonus of $20,000 for each football victory against Navy and $10,000 per bowl appearance.

The contract stipulates that if the university were to join any new FBS conference, as it has now done, then the school and the MMR company shall “engage in good faith discussions regarding mutually agreed upon increases” to the payments. 

Asked whether they are now negotiating terms in light of Army’s jump to the AAC, neither the school nor Learfield answered directly. Instead, they provided the following joint statement: “Learfield has been a trusted and long-time partner of Army Athletics, and regardless of the circumstances or factors involved, we look forward to remaining partners for years to come and continuing to innovate for both fans and brands alike.”