WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army West Point Director of Athletics Mike Buddie has announced a new six-year bowl tie-in for Army Football with ESPN Events and the Independence Bowl. Through 2025, Army will have primary tie-ins with the Independence Bowl (even years) and an ESPN owned and operated bowl game (odd years).

“We are thrilled to partner with ESPN Events and the Independence Bowl,” said Buddie. “This opportunity comes from the hard work and success of our football coaching staff and our incredible cadets who represent us so well on a national stage. I want to thank Pete Derzis and Clint Overby of ESPN Events and Missy Setters of the Independence Bowl for their commitment to our program. I know that the Army faithful will enjoy traveling with our team in future years to these great bowl games.”

“We are honored and excited to extend our relationship with Army West Point into the new six-year bowl cycle,” said Clint Overby, Vice President of ESPN Events. “Army’s rich history and fan base make them a wonderful addition to our participant roster.”

“The Independence Bowl Foundation is excited to feature Army West Point as a primary tie-in for our game for three of the next six years and continuing the strong tradition of honoring our military men and women here in Shreveport,” said Independence Bowl Executive Director Missy Setters. “Their football program is steeped in college football tradition with bowl victories, national championships, and Heisman Trophy winners. Army represents all that is great about the game of college football.”

A clause in both agreements allows Army the opportunity to accept a bid from a different bowl game once per each three-year cycle with ESPN and the Independence Bowl.

Provided that Army gains bowl eligibility in each season, the schedule for each year from 2020-2025 will be:

2020: Independence Bowl

2021: ESPN Owned and Operated Bowl Game

2022: Independence Bowl

2023: ESPN Owned and Operated Bowl Game

2024: Independence Bowl

2025: ESPN Owned and Operated Bowl Game

West Point has been an ESPN owned and operated bowl participant on four different occasions and won each contest (Armed Forces Bowl – 2018, Armed Forces Bowl – 2017, Heart of Dallas Bowl – 2016, Armed Forces Bowl – 2010). The Black Knights have also participated in the Independence Bowl before. On Dec. 31, 1996, Army suffered a three-point loss to Auburn in Shreveport, La.

Similar to the 2016 (Heart of Dallas Bowl) and 2018 (Armed Forces Bowl) seasons, Army does not have a primary bowl tie-in this year. If bowl eligible, the Black Knights will be treated as an at-large team in the bowl selection process should any conference fall short of filling its bowl lineup.

ESPN Events,a division of ESPN, owns and operates a large portfolio of 35 collegiate sporting events worldwide. The roster includes three Labor Day weekend college football games, the FCS opening-weekend game, 16 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events, a college softball event, an esports event and two college award shows, which accounts for approximately 375-plus hours of live programming, reaches almost 64 million viewers and attracts over 800,000 attendees each year.

The Independence Bowl, the 11th-oldest bowl game, will play its 44th-edition on Thursday, December 26, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. CT at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La. The Independence Bowl and Independence Bowl Foundation are prevalent in the Shreveport-Bossier City area throughout the year, hosting events to help enhance the economic impact and growth of the community.

For more information, visit WalkOnsIndependenceBowl.comor follow the bowl on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram at @IndyBowl.