Tennessee State has the home stadium that provides infinite possibilities.Florida A&M has one of the Top-5 premier brands in all of the Football Championship Subdivision football.
Tennessee State was once the most feared football rivalry for the Rattlers.
FAMU has the world-renowned "Marching 100," which is worth the price of admission to any venue.
TSU has the Sophisticated Ladies and the Aristocrats of Bands.
Tennessee State Tigers embarrassed FAMU on national television in the Atlanta Football Classic in 2010, which later denied the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Co-Champion Rattlers an FCS playoff spot.
The 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc., has dropped TSU for the next two years, and is working out a contract with Stump Mitchell's Southern University Jaguars, for all the wrong reasons.
Tennessee State University has the Gentry Center which seats 10,500 for collegiate basketball.
FAMU has a new athletic director, Derek Horne, who's on a mission to help FAMU live up to its national legacy as a championship athletic program. Horne, from Southeastern Conference (SEC) University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) is accustomed to big games and large athletic budgets.
TSU athletic director Teresa Lawrence Phillips is in a pickle to replace longtime rival FAMU on its 2011 schedule and find a new revenue source for the $450,508.00 (2008 payout) loss from the Atlanta Football Classic.
What seems like a big problem, is an opportunity for greatness for TSU and FAMU.
Let me say that again...but more slowly, so that it sinks in...
What appears to be a huge problem is an opportunity for greatness and increased athletic income for Tennessee State University and Florida A&M University on a much larger stage.
The Rattlers/Tigers game must go on in 2012.
If a FAMU vs. Bethune-Cookman rivalry (Florida Classic) has earn the Rattlers and Wildcats $1.5 million dollars EACH annually, there is no reason that a "Tennessee Classic" cannot earn a greater payout for FAMU/TSU in the capital city of Tennessee, with a statistical population area estimated at 1.67 million people.
The 2010 Florida Classic had 61,712 fans in attendance. No reason that a "Tennessee Classic" can't exceed the Florida Classic numbers in a few years as this is a more serious football rivalry for TSU and FAMU. It's more marketable -- OVC Football vs. MEAC Football.
Florida A&M vs. Tennessee State should be all about the maximum money that can be made off of this game for both institutions, annually. With that being said, forget about home and home for this classic match up.
Let us suggest that the universities' administration book it for the next five years at Nashville's LP Field (or equal), the home stadium for the TSU Tigers and NFL Tennessee Titans. LP Field seats 68,800 in a state of art facility.
Using the same self-governing business model used for the Florida Classic, FAMU/TSU should set-up the same type of consortium for the proposed "Tennessee Classic" and hire an outside management company (like a Florida Citrus Sports) to manage the game affairs for a reasonable fixed fee.
There is absolutely no reason that this type of rivalry game cannot gross each school $1.5 million to $2 million annually, after expenses, when marketed properly, and when based on the structured business model of the Florida Classic. All the physical ingredients that makes the Florida Classic and Atlanta Classic successful are present in Nashville.
Videographer: UrbanSportsITG
More importantly, put the dang game out for bid for additional guaranteed money based on a projected economic impact of $30+ million dollars, based on a projected annual attendance of 52,000 fans or greater. Let Nashville, Jacksonville (Florida), Tampa (Florida), Memphis, and Knoxville all submit bids for the game to be played in their city and stadium for five years.
What we are suggesting is let Nashville and LP Field earn the rights to host the football game and other events by paying for those rights through the highest bid of cash to be paid to FAMU and TSU and/or reduced hotel rooms, stadium fees and the like for each university.
Let Versus, Fox Sports South and ESPN bid for TV rights to broadcast the game from Nashville, the 29th largest television market in the U.S. And offer others the regional and national Radio rights for fair market value. The two universities will remain the sole owners of the Tennessee Classic football game, basketball tournament and all of its ancillary events, like the Tennessee classic parade, battle of the bands, step shows, etc. and concerts.
FAMU and TSU products are more valuable than the $450,508.00 each paid by the 100 Black Men in Atlanta. If anyone knows this better, its athletic director Teresa Phillips, who earned a bachelor's degree in economics and business education from Vanderbilt University.
Videographer: hbcusportsonline - Excepts from FAMU 's half-time show at 2010 Florida Classic
It is long overdue that athletic directors Phillips and Derek Horne, recognizes the needs of their strong fan base and the financial needs of their respective athletic departments to maximize the earning power of this rivalry game.
Self-management and oversight of this game is the key to maximizing earnings for each university program.
Yes, it will take a little work from the respective athletic departments, but the gain for our student-athletes will be greater than the payouts from a FBS money game or a home game in Tallahassee (13,000 fans) with a strong Division II program, like a Fort Valley State.
The 100 Black Men did both institutions a major favor by giving TSU the boot.
It now forces TSU and FAMU to look beyond guaranteed losses (money games) with Football Bowl Championship/BCS programs; minimum pay days with third parties like the 100 Black Men; or so-called money games with the Division I basketball powerhouses--that buys guaranteed wins from barnstorming Division I programs like the MEAC, SWAC and OVC.
Our student-athletes deserves a fair opportunity to win every game scheduled and adequate financial support for academic excellency. Horne understands this from this playing days in SEC basketball and having worked in true Division I athletic administration at Ole Miss.
Phillips needs to avoid the "quick fix" solution used by most Division I HBCU athletic directors to raise cash quickly by scheduling FBC or Division II blowouts. Either way, the loyal fan base is severely short changed.
FAMU vs. Tennessee State rivalry must continue in 2012.
That's what makes our suggested Plan B so intriguing, and invites further study, discussion and consideration.
Schedule the rivalry game the last week of October or first Saturday in November 2012 and take advantage of hosting a season opening basketball tournament at the TSU Gentry Center. The tournament could operate under the same brand ("Tennessee Classic") and would invite six men and women programs, i.e., TSU, FAMU, Middle Tennessee State, Jackson State, Alabama A&M, and Southern. The goal is to earn an additional $600,000 for the two-day basketball events scheduled around the football game, on Friday and Sunday.
Again, thank you 100 Black Men of Atlanta for giving TSU the boot!
Without adversity, TSU/FAMU would continue to schedule the same unprofitable football games with the third party reaping all the benefits. Now, each institution is forced to go to a Plan B. Tigers and Rattlers fans must keep the pressure on their respective administrations for a university owned "Tennessee Classic" or some variation of what we are suggesting in this blog.
There will never be a new Bragg Memorial Stadium at FAMU with 45,000 seats, field turf and luxury suites if we continue along the financial pathway created by athletic directors who have long since been fired and forgotten for fund raising and financial management incompetency.
Please, no more scheduled Bowl Championship Series (BCS) blowouts for $450,000 (pay your own expenses) or less. No more home dates with Division II football opponents. No more 10-12 game basketball tours of the Midwest for only a check and a guaranteed loss for the Rattlers and Tigers men and women basketball programs.
No more painting over the rust in Bragg Memorial Stadium. As we all know, FAMU is long overdue for a major Stadium upgrade with luxury suites, field turf and 45,000 seats with backs. It all cost millions of dollars that FAMU has not earned under the past business models.
That's why the TSU/FAMU rivalry is so important and should be developed into a three day event in Nashville. I am reminded of how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., always spoke on the urgency of now. We all have a responsibility to support the continuation of this historic rivalry and NOW is the time to move forward to make this event a reality.
Author: (beepbeep 1/17/2011)
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