NCAA College Basketball on the deck of Bin Laden burial warship

The USS Carl Vinsion, which casted off the body of Osama bin Laden is going to stage the first NCAA college basketball game on the flight deck on Veterans Day.

The ESPN-produced game will feature two college basketball powerhouses, North Carolina and Michigan State, playing each other on the deck of the Carl Vinson while some 7,000 special invitees, mostly military personnel and their families watch from the bleachers specialy constructed on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson, docked in San Diego.

They're exciting challenges, said Michael R. Rowe of Positive Impact, a sports consulting group based in New Jersey. It has weather issues, everything from rain and wind. It has vertical issues, getting everything up here and mounting an event like everybody's seen 100 times in their life, but not with this backdrop and not with this ship, and not with the tradition of Veterans Day, and this ship in particular.

Though the plans were made shortly after Osama bin Laden's death, U.S. officials said they weren't sure which aircraft carrier would be in San Diego at the time and would have a freed-up schedule for the lead time necessary to undertake such an unprecedented construction project. As the USS Carl Vinsion reached the harbor just a few days ago, the carrier has been chosen to host the game, they said.

College Basketball on the deck of Bin Laden buriel warship

Photo: REUTERS

The U.S. Navy's USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is seen in Hong Kong waters May 22, 2011. The carrier arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday for a four-day routine port call.

Photo: REUTERS

U.S. Navy sailor Kyle Cook kisses his wife Victoria Cook as he holds his son Elijah Cook after the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier returned to its homeport at Naval Station North Island in Coronado, California June 15, 2011. The USS Carl Vinson returned from a seven month deployment that became historic last month when the aircraft carrier buried Osama bin Laden at sea.

Photo: REUTERS

A sailor looks out from the deck of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier in Hong Kong waters May 22, 2011. The carrier arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday for a four-day routine port call.

Photo: REUTERS

Sailors aboard the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier wave as the ship returns to its homeport at Naval Station North Island in Coronado, California June 15, 2011. The USS Carl Vinson returned from a seven-month deployment that became historic last month when the aircraft carrier buried al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden at sea.

Photo: REUTERS

U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Samuel Perez, center, talks about the ship's mission after the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier returned to its homeport at Naval Station North Island in Coronado, California June 15, 2011. The USS Carl Vinson returned from a seven month deployment that became historic last month when the aircraft carrier buried Osama bin Laden at sea.

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