Jackson State pulling out of Memphis’s Southern Heritage Classic is causing quite a stir.
JSU informed the classic last Tuesday via a letter from its General Counsel, Ed- ward O. Watson, that it was terminating its agreement to play in the classic vs. Tennessee State University. The letter stated that JSU had entered into the contract with Summitt Management Corporation that puts on the game in November 2019.
The letter went on to state that “the Southwestern Athletic Conference, JSU’s governing athletics conference” had entered into an agreement in events in which JSU will participate “that conflict with the Southern Heritage Agreement. Said conflict prevents JSU’s participation in the Southern Heritage Classic,” the letter reads.
The letter, addressed to Fred Jones, the director of Summit Management Corporation. represents JSU’s termination of the contract.
The reaction from both Tennessee State and Jones has been swift and forceful.
With three years remaining on the contract, TSU President Glenda Glover didn’t mince words when she said the decision was “insensitive and irresponsible,” in a statement released by the school. Glover also decried the fact that there was “no opportunity for discussion or a courtesy call to the TSU president, director of athletics or head coach before the decision was made to breach the contract.” Glover said TSU found out about the decision from a national scheduler.
Jones told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger after the letter was received, “There will be a response back from us to the lawyer later today.” The BCSP has not received notice of a response from Jones.
JSU and TSU have met 28 times since the Classic be- gan Sept. 8, 1990, with Tennessee State leading the series 17-11.
The game this past fall was held on Sept. 11, 2021 and featured former NFL greats Deion Sanders leading JSU and Eddie George leading TSU. The game was held at the classic’s traditional home, the Liberty Bowl in Mem- phis. The classic, always one of the largest draws on the HBCU football menu, packed in 46,171 fans. It was the seventh best attended HBCU football game this year.
With the former NFL greats leading both teams, there was much anticipation that the game would only grow in stature.
The agreement that the SWAC has entered into that will involve Jackson State and other member institutions in the league is a three-year deal announced in late Janu- ary. It has been dubbed the ‘SWAC Classic’ and will bring conference teams together at Birmingham’s Legion Field over the next three years. The Birmingham City Council approved the agreement to play the games from 2022 to 2024.
Jackson State is to face Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2022. JSU will play against Southern in 2023 and 2024.
The agreement calls for the city of Birmingham to provide incentives and in-kind services to the SWAC in an amount not to exceed $200,000 in year one and $300,000 in years two and three.
SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland told HBCU Gameday’s Tolly Carr that three years ago when the conference signed an agreement with Birmingham, where the conference office is located, it included a provi- sion to utilize Legion Field for games at no cost. McClelland said he informed all the member institutions of the availability of Legion Field for neutral-site games.
While acknowledging that SWAC teams were playing in guarantee games and other neutral-site classic games and “bringing back a substantial amount of money,” McClelland said there were “opportunities for us to do better.”
He said after Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman joined the SWAC last year making it a 12-team league, the membership decided to stick to an eight-game rotating conference football schedule. That decision opened up opportunities for SWAC teams to play games against other member institutions not on their conference schedule.
Jackson State and Southern, who are not facing each other on the 2023 and 2024 SWAC schedules, reached out to the conference about taking advantage of the opportunity with Birmingham and Legion Field.
McClelland went on to explain that with sponsorships already in place, no rent, no expenses, and 100 percent of ticket sales could generate anywhere from $500,000 to $1.5 million per school depending on the size of the crowds.