MACHIAVELLI
December 7th, 2007, 11:31 AM
Historically black colleges and universities, such as Grambling State and Southern, have leaned on events like the Bayou Classic for decades to balance the books. Their huge corporate sponsorships, TV contracts and national exposure create rare opportunities for the small schools to garner profits.
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"The Florida Classic is our bowl game," Bethune-Cookman Athletic Director Lynn Thompson said. "We've created this huge baby, and it is critical to the success of the athletic departments at both schools."
Thompson wouldn't disclose details, but he said the payout is greater than most Division I-A bowls, other than the BCS games. The schools reportedly grossed about $1 million apiece for the 2005 game.
Grambling and Southern employ a similar revenue-sharing model for the Bayou Classic, with each school receiving a percentage of the tickets sales and television advertising from NBC's telecast.
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Not all the classics are success stories.
The Detroit Football Classic took a one-year hiatus because a financial agreement with Alabama State and Grambling couldn't be reached in time. Founder Robert Porcher said he plans to secure a three- or four-year contract for the participating schools when the game returns next year.
Classics (http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-34/1195887029234980.xml&coll=1&thispage=1)
...
"The Florida Classic is our bowl game," Bethune-Cookman Athletic Director Lynn Thompson said. "We've created this huge baby, and it is critical to the success of the athletic departments at both schools."
Thompson wouldn't disclose details, but he said the payout is greater than most Division I-A bowls, other than the BCS games. The schools reportedly grossed about $1 million apiece for the 2005 game.
Grambling and Southern employ a similar revenue-sharing model for the Bayou Classic, with each school receiving a percentage of the tickets sales and television advertising from NBC's telecast.
.....
Not all the classics are success stories.
The Detroit Football Classic took a one-year hiatus because a financial agreement with Alabama State and Grambling couldn't be reached in time. Founder Robert Porcher said he plans to secure a three- or four-year contract for the participating schools when the game returns next year.
Classics (http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-34/1195887029234980.xml&coll=1&thispage=1)