Inside Russell Athletic's lucrative Southwestern Athletic Conference contract

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Sports apparel supplier Russell Athletics supplies hundreds of thousands of dollars in free gear every year to Southwestern Athletic Conference institutions in exchange for exclusive licensing rights.

The contract between the industry giant and the historically black universities sports collective also gives the educational institutions a $5,000 stipend for coaching gear, a $2,000 product credit for the conference commissioner, and a number of cash incentives for winning teams.

In exchange, Russell gets to supply all 10 conference schools with all apparel until June 30, 2016. Russell also gets mandatory in-stadium advertising and free tickets to basketball and football home and playoffs games among other contract provisions.

SWAC has a separate five-year deal with Nike to supply the schools with shoes and other gear. Both deals are part of an industry that generates $4.6 billion annually.

Two Alabama schools benefit from the deal: Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University. So do fellow SWAC members Alcorn State University; Grambling State University; University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Jackson State University; Mississippi Valley State University; Prairie View A&M University; Southern University & A&M College; and, Texas Southern University.

CONTINUE READING 

Jackson State goes for second straight Soul Bowl victory

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Eight points separate Alcorn State from being unbeaten in the SWAC.

The Braves (7-3, 6-2 SWAC) travel to Jackson State at 2 p.m. Saturday in their "Soul Bowl" contest at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Alcorn has already clinched the Eastern Division championship and will face Grambling in the SWAC Championship Game on Dec. 5 at Houston's Reliant Stadium.

Braves coach Jay Hopson is focused on Jackson State, not looking ahead to a showdown against Grambling.

"There's not much to be said, its a rivalry game," Hopson said in a SWAC Teleconference call this week. "Jackson State's a tough team. It's always a battle. We need to be ready. We have to go prepare and do the things we have to be successful. Jackson State will be ready to play."

Jackson State (3-7, 3-5) won 34-31 last year, but Alcorn went on to win the SWAC and Black College National championships. The Tigers are hoping for a second straight upset.

CONTINUE READING 

Alabama A&M vs. Texas Southern

When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Where: Louis Crews Stadium
Radio: FM 90.9
TV: None

Four-down Territory

1. Friendlier foe: After taking on two tough opponents in Southern University (6-4, 6-2, third in SWAC West Division) and Alcorn State (7-3, 6-2, first in SWAC East Division) the Bulldogs (2-8, 2-6, fourth in East) close out the season at home against Texas Southern (3-6, 2-6, fourth in West). Alabama A&M and the Tigers are closely ranked in several statistical categories. The Bulldogs are ranked seventh in the conference in total offense with 323.3 yards per game, while the Tigers are eighth with 318.2. Alabama A&M is sixth in rushing offense with 138.3 yards per game and the Tigers are seventh with 135.6. In pass offense, the Bulldogs are seventh with 185.0 yards per game and Texas Southern in eighth with 182.7.

2. Tight discipline: Alabama A&M is showing good discipline under coach James Spady in one category in particular. The Bulldogs lead the SWAC in fewest penalties with 58; in comparison, second-ranked Alabama State has 81. The Bulldogs also lead in yards penalized with 519, followed by the Hornets with 675. Alabama A&M is averaging 5.8 penalties per game and 51.9 yards per game, which also leads the conference.

CONTINUE READING

Go to The Next Level for the Bayou Classic: What’s been on Grambling’s mind for a year now?

NEW ORLEANS -- The Next Level: The last play of last year’s Bayou Classic has been on the minds of Grambling players for a year.

The Tigers trailed Southern 52-45 when they lined up inside the Jaguars’ 1-yard line with 8 seconds left and no timeouts. Johnathan Williams tried a quarterback sneak, but Southern noseguard Gabe Echols blocked his path and the Jaguars stopped Williams inches short of the goal line.

“I think about it every day,” Grambling defensive lineman Donovan McCray said. “It wasn’t a good feeling losing that game by that many yards — inches, not even yards. I’ll never forget that feeling that we as a team felt.

“It was like somebody stabbed you and took something from you.”

The Jaguars did take something from the Tigers: the Southwestern Athletic Conference West division championship.

“It ended in a tragic way for them and an exciting way for us,” Echols said.

CONTINUE READING

Les East: Grambling’ s Broderick Fobbs restores the roar after program’s recent struggles

NEW ORLEANS -- Grambling is back.

The Tigers sent notice last season they were well on their way back to football prominence when they entered the Bayou Classic in position to reach the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game. They fell short in a last-second 52-45 loss to Southern, the defending SWAC champion that claimed its second-straight division title.

But as Grambling gets ready to face the Jaguars in the 42nd Bayou Classic on Saturday afternoon in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, it does so as the newly crowned Western Division champion.

The Tigers will try to complete an undefeated SWAC regular season before moving on to the SWAC championship game against Alcorn State next Saturday in Houston. If they win that, they will move on to Atlanta on Dec. 19 to face Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion North Carolina A&T in the inaugural Celebration Bowl.

So, yes, Grambling football is back.

It was just two years ago the Tigers hit rock bottom during one of the most humbling seasons any football program and university could ever experience — let alone one with Grambling’s pedigree.

CONTINUE READING   

Bayou Classic primed for another Southern-Grambling shootout Saturday in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome

NEW ORLEANS -- The Bayou Classic has a new kickoff time and a new network home.

But when viewers tune in to the NBC Sports Network at 4 p.m. Saturday, chances are they will see a very familiar Southern-Grambling shootout in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Both teams have standout quarterbacks, dynamic backs and receivers beaucoup and dependable lines that allow for consistent orchestration in both phases of the offense.

As a result, the Tigers (8-2, 8-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) have averaged 46.8 points in league play and the Jaguars (6-4, 6-2) have averaged 42.1. In other words, this game could be a repeat of last year’s shootout — a 52-45 Southern win that ended, oddly enough, with Grambling unable to score a tying touchdown from about 18 inches on the game’s final play.

Still, the teams combined for 995 yards, a number that might be attainable again Saturday.

“Both of us have high-powered offenses,” Jaguars receiver Mike Jones said. “I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a shootout and a fun game to watch. It’s basically a track meet.”


ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

CONTINUE READING

XU gives No. 16 Shawnee State first loss of season

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana got career highs of 25 points from Donyeah Mayfield and 21 from Joi Simmons in a 74-70 women's basketball victory against Shawnee State in Thursday's second game of the Xavier Classic.

The Gold Nuggets (5-2), ranked 21st in NAIA Division I, rallied from 10 down in the final 11 1/2 minutes against the Bears (7-1), who are ranked 16th. It was Xavier's third victory of the season against a ranked opponent.

Simmons, a freshman, scored a basket with 1:17 remaining to put Xavier ahead to stay, 71-70. Simmons blocked a shot on the next possession, and the Gold Nuggets controlled the rebound. Emoni Harvey's steal with seven seconds remaining and Whitney Gathright's ensuing two free throws clinched the decision.

NAIA DI scoring leader Ali Zieverink was 7-of-7 from the floor in the second half and finished with 25 points for Shawnee State. Madison Ridout scored 15 points, and Abby Feuchter scored 10. The Bears led 36-33 at halftime after closing with a 7-0 run, and they took their biggest lead, 50-40, after a pair of Feuchter free throws at 1:49 of the third quarter.
     
Simmons became the first XU freshman to reach 20 points in a game since Johnna Williams on Feb. 9, 2008.
     
Shawnee State outshot Xavier 47.9 to 35.7 percent from the floor, but the Gold Nuggets were plus-14 in turnovers, a season best. They had a 23-13 advantage in points off of turnovers.
     
Xavier will play another ranked NAIA opponent, No. 18 Langston, at 5 p,m. Friday in the final game of the tournament. Shawnee State will play Dillard at 1 p.m. Langston defeated Dillard 67-55 in the opening game Thursday. Xavier seeks victories on consecutive days against ranked opponents for the first time in Bo Browder's 17 seasons as head coach.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold