Two football games, two Alabama teams make HBCU Classic Weekend one big party in Montgomery
Tuskegee and Fort Valley State will meet again Sunday in the Boeing Red Tails Classic at Montgomery's Cramton Bowl, one of two HBCU classic games in the city this weekend. (contributed)
Football coaches are fond of saying their next game is the biggest game, and Alabama State’s Eddie Robinson Jr. is no exception.
“The first game is such a good game with Southern, with them coming up for the Labor Day Classic,” Robinson said during SWAC Media Day. “I can truly say the next game.”
But if one HBCU classic is good, two is better. And Montgomery has two with Saturday’s 5 p.m. Southern-ASU game on ESPN+ being followed by the third annual Boeing Red Tails Classic between Tuskegee and Fort Valley State at 6 p.m. Sunday at Cramton Bowl.
It’s sort of like having an HBCU Classic on steroids.
“That’s exactly what it is,” said Ron Simmons, chief officer for destination and community development with the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce. “You’re looking at hotels, you’re looking at restaurants, attractions and all of the things there are that come with that. Now it’s times two, and it’s back-to-back on top of other things that are going on in the city.”
The two classics come on the heels of Montgomery hosting the Department of the Air Force Information and Technology Conference, which drew about 5,400 registrants to the city. The combination of that event and the two classics will yield an economic impact of more than $7 million.
“There are over 7,000 total hotel nights throughout the River Region and not just in the city,” Simmons said. “They started coming in on Sunday and just as they ramp up, we’re going to start seeing (Wednesday) and today those who are coming in for the HBCU Classics.”
The Montgomery Chamber is billing this HBCU Classic Weekend, but that’s a bit of a misnomer with activity planned throughout the week.
“We’re the only city that has two classics in the same weekend,” Simmons said. “The Labor Day Classic is at Alabama State University. ASU will be playing Southern, and if you know anything about the HBCU world, Southern travels heavily.”
Not to be outdone, Hornet fans will more than equal the Jaguars who flow into ASU Stadium.
“I think they’re almost sold out now,” Simmons continued. “There are no home seats for sure, even on the second or third level. I think they’re probably sold out or close to selling out on the Southern side. We anticipate that there will be a sellout and probably additional seating of roughly around 30,000 fans in that stadium along with a plethora of events that ASU will have, leading up to Labor Day.”
Montgomery’s second classic of the week is the Boeing Red Tails Classic.
“The third annual Red Tails Classic sponsored by Boeing offers the nation a unique opportunity to celebrate the legacy and courage of the Tuskegee Airmen while also showcasing our city,” Mayor Steven L. Reed said. “As the setting for many of the most seminal moments in the modern civil rights movement and the home of Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base and the 187th Fighter Wing of the Alabama Air National Guard, there is no better place than Montgomery to celebrate HBCU excellence.”
But like so many HBCU classics, these events include much more than the action on the gridiron.
Simmons said an HBCU Experience will be found at the Multiplex of Cramton Bowl. Additionally, Boeing will have a STEM experience. The Alabama Experience (ALEX), an immersive mobile exhibit that personifies Alabama and highlights educational and career opportunities in the state, was at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome at Alabama State on Tuesday, a high school education day at the Renaissance on Wednesday and will be at the STEM Fest at Cramton Bowl on Saturday.
“There is a lot to do for young people as well as tailgating for everyone,” Simmons said. “There’ll be food, drinks and golf tournaments that are going on.”
Montgomery is hosting an Afterglow concert series that begins tonight at the Riverwalk Amphitheater. Each show is free.
Stephanie Mills, a 1980 Grammy Award winner, headlines tonight’s show along with Yung Joc and DJ Kill Switch. Silk performs Friday and Joe on Saturday. Each show is from 9 p.m. to midnight.
