UNC and Michigan State Arranging To Play on Aircraft Carrier Next Veteran's Day

We have seen college football played at historic Wrigley Field, college hockey played at the college football sanctuary that is the Big House and also witnessed college basketball played at the massive Ford Field home of the Detroit Lions.

Whatever your feelings may be on these strange crossover venues for college sports, I’m here to tell you that you haven’t seen anything yet.

North Carolina and Michigan State are in the midst of finalizing a contract that would have the two teams play each other next November in a game that would take place on an aircraft carrier.

North Carolina Head Coach Roy Williams said Monday Night on his radio show that the game would be played on Veteran’s Day on an aircraft carrier in San Diego, California.

UNC’s senior associate athletic director Larry Gallo said on Tuesday that no official contract has been signed between the two programs yet.

"We feel as though all systems are go, we're just trying to finalize” details, Gallo said. "But until you have a contract, a deal hasn't been consummated."

Mr. Gallo said that discussions for the game also involve the U.S. government.

The game’s location on an aircraft carrier on Veteran’s Day is obviously a gesture of homage to the men and women serving in our military.

In fact, Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis said that the idea of playing in front of the troops on this particular stage is one of the most appealing aspects of the game.

"It's something that we continue to pursue with the Navy," Hollis said. "From our perspective, it would be something where Americans could reach out to those who protect our borders and create a national celebration around it."

While the idea of two of college basketball’s premier programs facing each other in front of an audience of U.S. military personnel is certainly a noble cause, it’s not the first time that NCAA men’s basketball coaches have reached out to the men and women of the armed services.

In 2005 the event Operation Hardwood: Hoops for Troops began. In Operation Hardwood college basketball coaches travel overseas to coach teams composed of U.S. soldiers and eventually the teams play in a tournament.

Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo was one of the first coaches to travel to Camp Arifjan in Kuwait for the event. Izzo’s team of soldiers actually won the Operation Hardwood tournament in 2005.

I have never been a big fan of or seen the appeal of these venue games. To me the college football game played at Wrigley Field last November was simply a matchup between two middle of the road Big Ten teams in Illinois and Northwestern. I also didn’t tune into college hockey for the first time in my life just because Michigan and Michigan State were skating on top of the 50 yard line at the Big House.

This game is definitely different though and while at first glance the idea of playing on an aircraft carrier may seem silly, it’s a great gesture on Veteran’s Day. The idea of the Spartans and Tarheels hitting the hardwood in front of our service men and women is a novel idea and continues the NCAA’s great relationship with the U.S. military. I’m confident that Mark Hollis and Larry Gallo will iron out the final details on this contract and finalize the game for next November.

The only question remaining is who will call the game for ESPN, Jay Bilas or Dick Vitale?