Army football switching from ‘Black Knights’ to ‘Cadets’ moniker

The Army football team will be undergoing a branding change as the school as decided to drop the “Black Knights” from their name in favor of the “Cadets.”

The United States Military Academy is home to the Army‘s college sports teams. One of NCAA football‘s most storied programs will be going by another name in the 2015 season, however, as the “Black Knights” will undergo a bit of re-branding.

Moving forward, the team will go by the Army “Cadets” full time. It is a monumental change for the program, as the school has used both names interchangeably for decades, with the Black Knights moniker slated as the official one since 1999.

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The news comes as a result of the university’s partnership with Nike. In addition to the nickname change, a brand new uniform is expected to accompany.

“We really want to make sure we have something that identifies regionally, nationally and internationally,” said Army director of athletics Boo Corrigan.

Jack Cavanaugh, whom has covered the team for roughly 50 years across a number publications including Sports Illustrated and the New York Times, appears to be behind the move.

“Personally, I like ‘Cadets’ better,” said the veteran journalist.

You cannot really argue with the logic behind the change. Money talks, and Nike has plenty of it. Plus, a little national re-branding might translate into further television exposure.

And although most that come through the doors of the West Point based military academy are motivated primarily by active service, there are still plenty of whom that consider football a viable future option. Perhaps this is a way for that possibility to shift in a more pragmatic direction, as well as providing for a method of attracting more highly touted high school recruits.

Whatever the case might be, it appears an era (to some small degree) is over. Something tells us though that none of it will matter if Army secures victories over the other two service academies, arch-rival Navy, and Air Force, in 2015. The program has gone without a winning season and/or bowl birth since 2010.

H/T For The Win via USA Today

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