Army-Navy game 2022: Weekend kicks off with pep rally, friendly competition between the academies

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA - The Cadets of the U.S. Military Academy and the Midshipmen of the Naval Academy competed in a friendly tug-of-war on the Battleship New Jersey Friday.

It’s part of the Patriot Games this weekend ahead of the Army-Navy game at Lincoln Financial Field Saturday.

The Army Cadets won all three matches.

Thousands are pouring into Philadelphia for the game, which is good news for the city. After all, this will be the last Army-Navy game played in Philly for several years.

The entire weekend is a friendly, but fiercely competitive slate of events and competition that pit the Army Corps of Cadets and Navy Brigade of Midshipmen against each other in tests of endurance, strength and overall spirit.

"I think it’s just the brotherhood of the academies and the closeness when you’re there and when you graduate, they stay close. It’s a camaraderie like no other," Army mom Kelly Rast stated.

Several events happening throughout the city Friday included a pep rally and intense pull-up competition between the academies, with Navy pulling out the victory in extra time.

The game is expected to draw huge crowds and bring a significant economic impact to the area, according to Larry Needle, with PHL Sports.

"It generates about $30 million in economic impact and 30,000 hotel rooms booked, so it’s such a huge weekend for all of our hospitality partners. We just love it," Needle said.

The game starts at 3 p.m., with the academies marching onto the field beginning at noon.