AF Academy adjusts the conditions of participation for the cadet football game again | Sport

The Air Force Academy has adjusted its stance and now requires half of the cadet squadron to participate in football games.

That's double the amount from the day before, but only half the amount of the last few decades. Confused? It was a moving target.

On Thursday, the academy told the Gazette that the entire wing of cadets will no longer be required to attend football games (exceptions include the home game and Navy games, where the entire wing must still be present). For the other four games, a quarter of the cadets would be required under Thursday's plan.

A spokesman said Friday that an update to the policy requires two of the four groups of cadets to attend each game. This means that 50%, or around 2,000 cadets, will have to attend the four non-mandatory games, rather than 1,000 – but still less than the 4,000 that has long been the tradition.

The academy said Thursday that the move away from a cadet-only wing at the games (a policy still in place at Army and Navy) “is being done to maximize attendance at all 30 intercollegiate sporting events. This is done not only to build team spirit and unity, but also to embody the values ​​of camaraderie and resilience that are essential to leadership.”

The new policy, which drew strong reactions on social media and in email responses to the Gazette, comes as the program has launched a $95 million renovation of the east side of Falcon Stadium.