Michigan State basketball, Gonzaga to play Veterans Day game on aircraft carrier
Michigan State basketball has finalized a Veterans Day matchup with Gonzaga on an aircraft carrier.
The flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, will host the ESPN-televised Nov. 11 contest, dubbed the 2022 Armed Forces Classic, according to a news release. It will be the first college basketball game on an aircraft carrier since 2012.
“I know our players, coaches and staff, and all of Michigan State Athletics are very excited about the opportunity to play a tremendous program like Gonzaga on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln while honoring all of those who serve in our military," MSU coach Tom Izzo said in the release. "This game is big for our program, for Michigan State University and for the Big Ten Conference.
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“This opportunity to play on an aircraft carrier in front of the men and women who willingly put their lives on the line will be an experience that is going to mean something to the young men who will play in the game for a long, long time."
The ESPN Armed Forces Classic was created in 2012, but the last eight editions have been on American military bases in the U.S. and abroad. Michigan State played in the inaugural event, losing to Connecticut, 66-62, in a hanger at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. The past two Armed Forces Classics were canceled due to COVID-19.
Four aircraft carrier games have been played in college basketball history before the concept was shelved for the last decade. MSU last played on an aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, in 2011 in San Diego. The Spartans lost to North Carolina, 67-55.
ESPN Events allocated 8,000 seats for that contest, but vice president Clint Overby told the San Diego Union-Tribune there won't be as many seated for the 2022 game. Overby also said attendance will be limited to military invitees and some team allocations.
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Additionally, ESPN is making contingency plans in the area should weather and elemental concerns arise.
“We are honored to have the unique opportunity to stage the Armed Forces Classic on the USS Abraham Lincoln,” Overby said in the release. “First and foremost, we want to thank the men and women of the Navy, and the entire Armed Forces, for allowing us into their world to share their stories and to thank them for their service to our country.
"We will work with the teams, the Navy and our collective Events group to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all participants and spectators.”
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State basketball, Gonzaga to play on aircraft carrier
