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Records: FAMU officials saw red flags ahead of Georgia Football Classic implosion
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- Records: FAMU officials saw red flags ahead of Georgia Football Classic implosion
The Georgia Football Classic between Florida A&M and Mississippi Valley State universities was a highly anticipated game in a legendary setting that fell apart publicly days before kickoff.
That's because of logistical and contractual breakdowns in pulling off the game that was scheduled for Oct. 4 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
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The 71,000-seat NFL venue is home turf for the Atlanta Falcons and the location where the Rattlers trounced the Howard Bison to win the 2023 Black College National Championship in the Celebration Bowl .
Public records obtained by the Tallahassee Democrat show that, long before the cancellation was announced, red flags were raised about whether the Georgia Football Classic's organizers could meet the financial and logistical commitments they promised.
Emails and contracts reveal that FAMU never received the guaranteed $25,000 appearance fee it was owed. At the same time, university leaders pressed for proof that travel, lodging, and meals for the Marching 100, cheerleaders, and mascot would be covered.
The records also show that the deal – negotiated under athletic director Angela Suggs before her suspension – left FAMU increasingly worried it would shoulder the blame if the ambitious Atlanta showcase unraveled. With sluggish ticket sales, unpaid guarantees, and unanswered questions from the promoters, Mississippi Valley ultimately pulled the plug, confirming the very concerns raised behind the scenes.
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Rattler fans first got electrified in May about another classic added to the fall lineup when Suggs announced the contest at the FAMU National Alumni Association convention in Frisco, Texas. The event would be hosted by Mississippi Valley, which she said agreed to move the game from its 10,000-seat Rice-Totten Stadium in Itta Bena to one of the country's signature sports arenas in Atlanta.
It was to be sponsored by AAA Automotive Logistics and Partners, as well as Georgia Football Classic promoters Dan Anderson and Tyrone Hill. AAA Automotive Logistics and its partners are five African-American-owned and operated businesses specializing in marketing and promotions, production, and sports.
Within a month of the announcement, however, Suggs was placed on paid administrative leave , following her arrest on charges of fraud and theft stemming from her previous job with the Florida Sports Foundation.
It also came three months before interim FAMU President Timothy Beard concluded his tenure , and second-year Rattlers head football coach James Colzie III was finalizing a roster for the 2025 season.
Florida A&M's new Vice President and Director of Athletics Angela Suggs speaks at an introductory press conference while Interim President Timothy Beard listens Monday, Sept. 23, 2024.
The Sept. 30 announcement, five days before kickoff, that the Oct. 4 game was cancelled shocked some, while also confirming thoughts harbored by other Rattlers fans that it was questionable from the beginning . The Rattlers will now play the Delta Devils on Saturday, Nov. 29, at Mississippi Valley's Rice-Totten Stadium in Itta Bena, a week following one of HBCU's biggest annual matchups, the Florida Classic, between the Rattlers and Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in Orlando.
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After a public records request, FAMU, which was not the host team, provided the Tallahassee Democrat contract information and a series of emails that showed questions being raised behind the scenes. That included AAA's ability to fulfill travel accommodations for the football team, the Marching 100, cheerleaders, and the mascot's hotel rooms, meals, and other expectations.
One detail revealed is that as recently as Sept. 9, FAMU Associate General Counsel David Self II sent an email to Anderson and Hill, stating that FAMU had yet to receive the guaranteed $25,000 for the Rattlers football team's participation promised during Suggs' negotiations.
Many questions remain unanswered, but here is what the Tallahassee Democrat has gleaned about the behind-the-scenes discussions leading to Mississippi Valley pulling out of the event:
FAMU agrees to $25,000 deal for football team play in Georgia Football Classic
The Rattlers were the designated away team in the Southwestern Athletic Conference game versus the Delta Devils, which made Mississippi Valley responsible for moving the game from Itta Bena to Atlanta while remaining in charge of gameday operations. Mississippi Valley, which has a student population of about 2,000, had an agreement with the Atlanta-based promoters to host the event and handle logistics.
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In her announcement before the national alumni gathered in Texas, Suggs said, "They decided they were coming to FAMU, Georgia ― also known as Atlanta."
After Suggs went public with the announcement on May 30, Mississippi Valley followed by announcing the game on its athletics website. On Aug. 20, the Georgia Football Classic, in conjunction with 100 Black Men of DeKalb and Discover DeKalb, issued a press release announcing that tickets were now on sale.
However, as time passed, ardent fans began to grow anxious, raising concerns about the lack of information on when tickets would go on sale, why the classic was not listed on the stadium's fall schedule, and seeking clarity on rumors that the Atlanta plan might be scrapped, with the game potentially returning to Mississippi.
At the same time, FAMU officials were clearly concerned that any mishap in pulling this off could be attributed to the university. FAMU was likely to have its fans fill more seats than the opponent, which is not known to have a strong fan travel base, even to Atlanta. To add to that, the Marching 100's appearance, and a strong Atlanta metro area alumni base.
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"We all realize this is their game, but our fans will view this as us not doing our homework that caused the issues," FAMU's Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Kelvin Lawson said to FAMU President Marva Johnson, Attorney Self, and other university officials in an Aug. 16 email obtained by the Tallahassee Democrat.
FAMU was scheduled to receive a $25,000 payment on Sept. 5 from AAA for the football team, band, cheerleaders, and mascot to participate in the Georgia Football Classic, per a contract signed by Beard and Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer Travis Glasgow on July 31.
Jan 31, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; General overall aerial view of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The New England Patriots will play the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
In addition, AAA was responsible for "all FAMU's expenses related to accommodations, meals, and travel" for the marching band, cheerleaders, and mascot, while FAMU agreed to cover the costs of its football team's meals, travel, and accommodations, according to the contract.
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The contract also included an incentive for FAMU to receive additional funds up to $125,000 based on ticket sales.
For example, if the Georgia Football Classic sold 30,001 to 40,000 tickets, FAMU would get an extra $25,000. Selling 40,001 to 50,000 tickets would add another $25,000 for FAMU. If 50,001 to 60,000 tickets are sold, FAMU gets a third $25,000.
FAMU's biggest profit from game admissions would come if the Georgia Football Classic sold 60,001 to 70,000 tickets, meaning it would get $50,000 to add to the three installments of $25,000.According to multiple sources, ticket sales for the Georgia Football Classic were dismal.
FAMU grows concerned about compensation for football team, band in Georgia Football Classic
FAMU's Marching 100 performs at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 before being named HBCU Band of the Year by ESPN Events.
On Sept. 9, Self sent a "Notice of Breach and Opportunity to Cure ― Advance Payment" to Anderson and Hill regarding the $25,000 AAA contractually owed to FAMU.
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"AAA Automotive was to deliver the University a payment in the amount of $25,000, guaranteeing the payment for the appearance of the Florida A&M University Football Team and the Florida A&M University Marching Band to appear at the Georgia Football Challenge to be held on October 4, 2025," Self said in the message to Anderson and Hill.
Other requirements listed in Self's email spotlighted proof of payment for transportation, lodging, meals for FAMU's Marching 100, and an inquiry of an extra $15,000 compensation to the band if it performs in the scheduled post-game 'Band VERZUZ' against Mississippi Valley's Mean Green Marching Machine.
"As a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the Florida A&M University football team is required to participate in the game. However, on or before September 15, 2025, AAA Automotive would need to meet the requirements for the Florida A&M University Marching Band to attend," Self concluded.
The Tallahassee Democrat is awaiting a response from Mississippi Valley Athletic Director Alecia Shields-Gadson and Deputy Athletic Director Robert Raines. Shields-Gadson didn't become Mississippi Valley's athletic director until July, a month after the Georgia Football Classic's May announcement.
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Anderson, of AAA and the Georgia Football Classic founder, didn't respond to the Tallahassee Democrat, either. The Tallahassee Democrat also reached out to the SWAC office.
FAMU football vs Mississippi Valley State game still on ― but not in the Georgia Football Classic
Ticketholders for the now-cancelled Georgia Football Classic will be reimbursed through Ticketmaster, regardless of whether they purchased in person at FAMU's on-campus box office or online.
Since the Rattlers and Delta Devils are SWAC opponents, they are obligated to play the football game, which was rescheduled to Thanksgiving weekend on Mississippi Valley's campus.
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The Nov. 29 matchup, which could cause a late shift to league standings, will be broadcast on SWAC TV.
FAMU football returns to action Oct. 11, against the visiting North Carolina Central Eagles for a non-conference game at Bragg Memorial Stadium. The Rattlers are 1-3 and 0-1 in the SWAC .
Meanwhile, the Delta Devils travel to Alabama A&M for a SWAC game in Huntsville on Oct. 11. Mississippi Valley has a 0-4 record and is 0-1 in SWAC contests.
Florida A&M Football's Remaining 2025 Schedule
All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time.
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Week 7: Saturday, Oct. 11 ― vs. North Carolina Central, 3 p.m., HBCU GO
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Week 8: Saturday, Oct. 18 ― vs. Alcorn State (SWAC/Homecoming), 4 p.m., ESPN Plus
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Week 9: Saturday, Oct. 25 ― at Southern (SWAC), 5 p.m., SWAC TV
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Week 10: Saturday, Nov. 1 ― vs. Jackson State (SWAC), 7 p.m., ESPN Network
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Week 11: Saturday, Nov. 8 ― at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GO
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Week 12: Saturday, Nov. 15 ― at Alabama A&M (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TV
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Week 13: Saturday, Nov. 22 ― vs. Bethune-Cookman (SWAC/Florida Classic at Orlando's Camping World Stadium), 3:30 p.m., ESPN Plus
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Makeup Game: Saturday, Nov. 29 ― at Mississippi Valley State (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TV
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Saturday, Dec. 6 ― SWAC Championship Game (If Necessary)
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Saturday, Dec. 13 ― Celebration Bowl at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium (If Necessary)
Gerald Thomas III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
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Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on X/Twitter: @3peatgee .
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Georgia Football Classic deal raised flags at FAMU, records show
