According to the Winston Salem paper, FAMU will play the Rams of Winston Salem State University in the Circle City Classic in Indianapolis on Oct. 6, a game that was supposed to be at Bowman Gray.Chico Caldwell, the Rams' athletics director, had lobbied for that game to be the Circle City Classic at the RCA Dome. WSSU will receive about $220,000 for moving the game from Bowman Gray to Indianapolis, Caldwell said.
"For us to get into that kind of a classic game says a lot about what people think about Winston-Salem State," Caldwell said. "We are thrilled with the chance to play Florida A&M in the University Circle City Classic."
Caldwell said that negotiations began soon after the Rams nearly beat the Rattlers this past fall in Tallahassee, Fla.
"They had a scout down there to watch us play in that game, and when they found out we were scheduled to play A&M in Winston they wanted to talk about bringing that game to Indianapolis," Caldwell said.
Read more here: FAMU to play WSSU in Circle City
If we can make money from a road game we have to make anyway ... "KOOL & The Gang" with me!!
ReplyDeleteLet's hope they - AND Delaware State - keep thinking like this EVERY year we have to go up there to play them!
WSSU = idiots.
ReplyDeletegave away their biggest home game to date to Indy.
WSSU = Idiots = FAMU = Atlanta.
ReplyDeleteSome think WE are the same thing by continuiung to play for Chump Change in the ATL ... When we can return to the Bragg - And keep it ALL!!
You know, alumni should come to more university meetings, etc., for enlightenment. During the Florida Classic this year, Dr. Townsend spoke about why we play these games. It's about dollars. FAMU makes roughly $400K every year from the ATL Classic. If we move to a home and home, we would not make that much money. The year we play TSU in Nashville, that is $400K in lost revenue. Bragg stadium only seats 25,500. We have 11,000+ students. You know this would definitely be one of the games students would want to attend. If you give students 8,000 tickets (since they pay A&S fees) you only have 17,000 tickets to sell. If you charge $30.00 per ticket, yes you could make the equivalent of the ATL game. Again, how do you replace the dollars on the year we play in Nashville.
ReplyDeleteUntil we can sell-out Bragg stadium at all games (lately, we have not even been selling out homecoming), how can we give up the dollars the Classics generate.
That's why the PWCs don't have to play classics. They have stadiums that seat 60,000+ and there seats are sold out ever year. They don't need to travel for money.
and how do you build up a good home base without taking some sacrifices by bringing home the big games? You'll never sell out Bragg with only DSU, NSU, and Hampton showing up every year.
ReplyDeleteAthletics needs to get the boosters charged with making up the difference of the lost revenue from classics so we can build up the home base. Basically, the boosters need to buy out the Classic. Hey, that sounds like a good fundraising campaign.
Re:
ReplyDeleteFAMU makes roughly $400K every year from the ATL Classic. If we move to a home and home, we would not make that much money. The year we play TSU in Nashville, that is $400K in lost revenue.
Your AD did state that we make "About $400K" from that game ... But we BRING HOME just about HALF of that after our expenses.
Whereas ...
With TSU on your HOME Schedule - with SOUTHERN as the 5th Home Game during the off year you play in Opryland - if you generated JUST 5,000 Season Tickets from this move, that would guarantee you over $500K for BOTH years ... And you wouldn't have to drag anyone anywhere!
The AD sounded as though he would love to move the game ... But his trepidation is only that he is hesitant that WE wouldn't buy into it quick enough, and he is resistant to change - Until WE show by our actions that that's what WE want.
It's definitely a Catch-22 ... But someone has to make the first move!