TXSU
Active Member
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20081122/NEWS/811220344/1073
Alcorn looks to relocate 2010 Classic
Kareem Copeland • [email protected] • November 22, 2008
For the 16th consecutive year, the Capital City Classic was played at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
But No. 18 won't be played there - if Alcorn State University athletic director Darren Hamilton has his way.
Hamilton favors playing Alcorn's game against Jackson State University every other year in the Braves' home stadium in Lorman, not at JSU's home stadium, starting in 2010.
Jackson State is against the idea.
Hamilton wants the game in Braves' territory for three reasons: to gain a home-field advantage, bring more people to the campus and to eliminate promoters.
Alcorn, Jackson State and Elite Entertainment are in the first year of a two-year contract to play the game in Jackson. The universities split the revenue from tickets, concessions and parking and are scheduled to receive $60,000 each from the promoter.
Hamilton said Alcorn has not received its payment. Jackson State athletic director Bob Braddy would not say if JSU has been paid.
Hamilton said he was rushed into signing the current deal soon after being hired in April.
"I didn't have enough time to vet these particular promoters, which I am very uncomfortable with," Hamilton said.
Dallas-based Elite Entertainment president Darryl Blair said he can understand Hamilton's concerns.
"Of course, everyone involved would like to see the game stay here," Blair said. "He's entitled to feel that way.
"Hamilton's an astute businessman. But it's great for the city of Jackson and puts them in a positive light."
Blair said part of the challenges this year has been changing the culture surrounding the game and making it more of an event with a golf tournament, fashion gala and comedy show featuring Rickey Smiley.
He said Alcorn not having an athletic director caused a late start. Several sponsors from years past backed out for a variety of reasons. Elite Entertainment also has promoted the Labor Day Classic between Grambling State and Prairie View A&M and the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Dallas.
"I think that we can better build our relationships with other corporations in the city who benefit from this economy," Blair said. "I think they're taking a wait-and-see attitude to see how it turns out."
Hamilton has made it known he wants to play as many football games as allowed by the NCAA - 12 - and keep as many home games as possible in Lorman. The Braves went into the season with 11 games on the slate, but Hamilton was able to arrange a 12th game against New Mexico State on Oct. 4.
"The Classic certainly gives Jackson State the home-field advantage hands down," Hamilton said. "We need to increase our enrollment, and, as you know, we're in the business of educating young men and women. We need to get people on that campus that would ordinarily not go down (to Lorman).
"With a 22,500-seat stadium, we need to invest in ourselves like Mississippi State and Ole Miss did when they used to play down here. If we need to increase that stadium to 30,000 seats, that's what we need to do."
Braddy said moving the game would be a mistake.
"They won't make as much because fans won't travel because of the inconvenience of the traffic," Braddy said. "The average fan won't want to leave home at 4 a.m. and stand in line three to four hours.
"If they can average 20,000 paid fans, it'd be beneficial. I don't know if they can do that."
The 2007 Capital City Classic game between JSU and Alcorn drew 32,506 fans.
Fans heading to Alcorn's Jack Spinks Stadium have complained about traffic jams because U.S. 61 is the only major route into Lorman. And then there's only one way onto the campus.
"Looking from an Alcorn perspective, I can't really blame them," said Avis Heath, a JSU fan who went to the game at Alcorn in 1993. "The core fans are going to go. But it's such an inconvenience for anyone who's not already there. It's so hard to get down there and get situated and get in. Most people are going to say it's not even worth it, and they're right for the most part."
In the past, the schools have had a Capital City Classic board in place to run the game, but that agreement ended last year. The new contract included only a promoter. Braddy, who has been critical of promoters in the past, agreed to the current setup, in part, because the promoter will not receive a share of ticket revenue.
Alcorn looks to relocate 2010 Classic
Kareem Copeland • [email protected] • November 22, 2008
For the 16th consecutive year, the Capital City Classic was played at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
But No. 18 won't be played there - if Alcorn State University athletic director Darren Hamilton has his way.
Hamilton favors playing Alcorn's game against Jackson State University every other year in the Braves' home stadium in Lorman, not at JSU's home stadium, starting in 2010.
Jackson State is against the idea.
Hamilton wants the game in Braves' territory for three reasons: to gain a home-field advantage, bring more people to the campus and to eliminate promoters.
Alcorn, Jackson State and Elite Entertainment are in the first year of a two-year contract to play the game in Jackson. The universities split the revenue from tickets, concessions and parking and are scheduled to receive $60,000 each from the promoter.
Hamilton said Alcorn has not received its payment. Jackson State athletic director Bob Braddy would not say if JSU has been paid.
Hamilton said he was rushed into signing the current deal soon after being hired in April.
"I didn't have enough time to vet these particular promoters, which I am very uncomfortable with," Hamilton said.
Dallas-based Elite Entertainment president Darryl Blair said he can understand Hamilton's concerns.
"Of course, everyone involved would like to see the game stay here," Blair said. "He's entitled to feel that way.
"Hamilton's an astute businessman. But it's great for the city of Jackson and puts them in a positive light."
Blair said part of the challenges this year has been changing the culture surrounding the game and making it more of an event with a golf tournament, fashion gala and comedy show featuring Rickey Smiley.
He said Alcorn not having an athletic director caused a late start. Several sponsors from years past backed out for a variety of reasons. Elite Entertainment also has promoted the Labor Day Classic between Grambling State and Prairie View A&M and the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Dallas.
"I think that we can better build our relationships with other corporations in the city who benefit from this economy," Blair said. "I think they're taking a wait-and-see attitude to see how it turns out."
Hamilton has made it known he wants to play as many football games as allowed by the NCAA - 12 - and keep as many home games as possible in Lorman. The Braves went into the season with 11 games on the slate, but Hamilton was able to arrange a 12th game against New Mexico State on Oct. 4.
"The Classic certainly gives Jackson State the home-field advantage hands down," Hamilton said. "We need to increase our enrollment, and, as you know, we're in the business of educating young men and women. We need to get people on that campus that would ordinarily not go down (to Lorman).
"With a 22,500-seat stadium, we need to invest in ourselves like Mississippi State and Ole Miss did when they used to play down here. If we need to increase that stadium to 30,000 seats, that's what we need to do."
Braddy said moving the game would be a mistake.
"They won't make as much because fans won't travel because of the inconvenience of the traffic," Braddy said. "The average fan won't want to leave home at 4 a.m. and stand in line three to four hours.
"If they can average 20,000 paid fans, it'd be beneficial. I don't know if they can do that."
The 2007 Capital City Classic game between JSU and Alcorn drew 32,506 fans.
Fans heading to Alcorn's Jack Spinks Stadium have complained about traffic jams because U.S. 61 is the only major route into Lorman. And then there's only one way onto the campus.
"Looking from an Alcorn perspective, I can't really blame them," said Avis Heath, a JSU fan who went to the game at Alcorn in 1993. "The core fans are going to go. But it's such an inconvenience for anyone who's not already there. It's so hard to get down there and get situated and get in. Most people are going to say it's not even worth it, and they're right for the most part."
In the past, the schools have had a Capital City Classic board in place to run the game, but that agreement ended last year. The new contract included only a promoter. Braddy, who has been critical of promoters in the past, agreed to the current setup, in part, because the promoter will not receive a share of ticket revenue.
