Despite cancellations due to slippery courts and bad weather conditions, the college basketball Carrier Classic will continue next year.
In an announcement on Monnday, Morale Entertainment President Mike Whalen said his group and the Patriots Point Development Authority will stage the event next year and have come to agreement even though this year it was called off due to bad court conditions.
The game between Ohio State and Marquette on Friday was set to be held on the deck of the USS Yorktown, but was cancelled due to continuous condensation on the court that made play dangerous.
Earlier on Friday, the women's teams for Notre Dame and Ohio State played with no issues. The Irish defeated Ohio State 57-51 in the Top 25 matchup.
"We're trying to do some good and we think we can continue to do that," Whalen said to the Associated Press.
Before tip-off, players took to the court themselves armed with towels to help dry off the playing surface.
Whalen said that his group has come up with an "engineering solution" that would help with condensation and that " he has had heard from about 10 schools since Saturday who were still interested in playing aboard the carrier," according to the Associated Press.
He also said the event would continue to have a men's and women's game.
"There are a lot of women in the military, a lot of women veterans," he said. "It's important that we do this."
According to the Associated Press, "The Carrier Classic wasn't the only outdoor game affected by the weather. The Georgetown-Florida game on the USS Bataan in Jacksonville was called off after halftime because of condensation. On Sunday, Syracuse defeated San Diego State 62-49 on the decommissioned carrier USS Midway, a game that was delayed two days because of the threat of rain."
The trend of playing games on aircraft carriers began last with the inaugural Carrier Classic, which was held on Veterans Day on November 11, 2011 aboard the USS Carl Vinson.
President Obama attended the game between Michigan State and North Carolina, along with many military and family members and the First family. The Tar Heels defeated the Spartans, 67-55 in front of over 8,000 fans.
Other related events include the Armed Forces Classic, which was created this year and took place was the first game played between two division 1 teams in Europe. Michigan State and Connecticut faced off at Ramsetin Air Base in Germany.
Some critics have cited weather and court quality issues as the reason why these games shouldn't continue to be played. Writer Myron Medcalf said on ESPN that if player safety isn't the number one priority, the games shouldn't be played.
" Player safety wasn't the first consideration. The event was No. 1. That's why game officials at both sites spent so much time seeking ways to skirt Mother Nature's rules. They wanted to play to honor the servicemen, the stage and the sponsors. Meanwhile, young men were placed in situations that could have jeopardized their careers. Even a slip in warm-ups could have proved costly for an athlete."
He also added another reason the trend should end: "It's one that should end with Sunday's matchup between No. 9 Syracuse and No. 20 San Diego State aboard the USS Midway in San Diego. The game was moved from Friday to Sunday because of weather concerns. So if you're keeping track at home, not a single one of the aircraft carrier games went off as scheduled."
According to the Associated Press, the 2012 Carrier Classic was "held to benefit the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, and the Wounded Warrior Project."
Although the game was cancelled, Whalen remained committed and enthusiastic about the event.
"There was not one boo when the cancellation was announced," Whalen said. "I think that's important."
