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Big Game, Navy Team Up for 2014 Football Season

Navy to use special edition football against Army DTOM_Navy

DALLAS, TX – Dec. 9, 2014 – Big Game USA, the leading producer of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) official game footballs, has teamed with the United States Naval Academy to create a “Don’t Tread On Me” special edition football for the team’s 115th game against the United States Military Academy on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. CDT on CBS.

The “Don’t Tread On Me” footballs were specifically created for the Midshipmen’s prolific rivalry with Army, which caps the NCAA regular season each year. This exclusive design features a red and white striped Navy “N” logo with a snake coiled around it.

The inspiration for the logo comes from the First Navy Jack, a red and white striped flag flown by the Continental Navy throughout the American Revolution. Since 2002, all U.S. Navy ships have flown the First Navy Jack using the “Don’t Tread On Me” motto and rattlesnake, which replaced the Navy Jack during the war on terror.

Each “Don’t Tread On Me” football was custom-tailored by Big Game to the preferences of the Navy quarterbacks. The players chose the exact football by testing several types of leather, lace options and patterns while adhering to NCAA specifications. This is a unique service Big Game offers to colleges and high schools throughout the country.

While Big Game produces footballs for many FBS teams across the nation, Navy became the first team to use a Big Game branded football as its primary ball during the 2014 season.

“Our relationship with the Naval Academy is something we’re very proud of,” said Chris Calandro, Big Game USA founder. “They were the first team to trust our 1906 Football as their official ball, and we enjoy seeing it on the field each week.”

The partnership between Big Game and Navy kicked off in historic fashion when the Midshipmen used a 1906 ball nicknamed “Big Anchor” – with Alternate Logo Technology (ALT) in its opening game against Ohio State on Aug. 30, 2014. The ball was the first ever to feature a logo that covered two panels, or nearly half of the football, in an NCAA football game.

“The special edition footballs add another aspect of excitement to our games,” said Greg Morgenthaler, Naval Academy equipment manager. “The Don’t Tread On Me and Big Anchor footballs are not only unique to our team, but to the game in general. That’s exciting to be a part of.”

The football will match the alternate uniforms Navy will wear on Saturday, which are custom “Don’t Tread On Me” uniforms featuring the First Navy Jack-inspired logo on the helmet with the motto embroidered on the jersey and pants. The football and uniforms will only be worn during Navy’s game against Army on Dec. 13.

The Navy Army game is one of the most enduring rivalries in college football history, dating back to 1890. The two teams have played annually for the past 84 years with Navy winning 58 of the 114 games, including the last 12.

About Big Game USA

Big Game USA is the premier manufacturer of official Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college game balls. Its premium leather footballs, from regulation to commemorative, are all handcrafted at Big Game’s facility in Dallas. The company is the largest American-owned football factory and ships more FBS collegiate footballs than any other company in the world.

To learn more about competitive and collectors’ footballs, visit Big Game’s college football store.┬á

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