Ever since he took over as head coach of the Jackson State football team, Deion Sanders has been making waves. Never one to mince words, the Hall-of-Famer is now taking shots at some of the games that his team is required to play each season.
During Monday’s Southwestern Athletic Conference coaches’ teleconference, Prime Time was discussing his team’s upcoming matchup against Tennessee State in the Southern Heritage Classic at Memphis’ Liberty Bowl. It’s one of three “classics” that the Tigers have on the schedule this season, something that doesn’t sit well with him considering these neutral site games means less chances to generate revenue with home games.
“We’re already giving away three games to these dern Classics, which I don’t like,” said Sanders when discussing a desire to play more games in Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. “We’re gonna give away three games, which I don’t like. Those could be 3 home games. That’s more revenue for this team, this school, this community, all of us. I don’t even want to go into that. It’s vital we play at home. Like Dorothy said on the ‘Wizard of Oz’ there’s no place like home. Didn’t she? We love playing at home.”
JSU’s season-opener against FAMU was part of Miami’s Orange Blossom Classic and they’ll also face Alabama A&M in the Gulf Coast Challenge in Mobile, Alabama later this season.
It’s worth noting that Summitt Management Corporation, the ominously named company that manages the Southern Heritage Classic, is currently suing Jackson State to force them to honor the deal that calls for two more Tennessee State-Jackson State games.
Sanders, however, sounds pretty resolute about not wanting to take the “classic” route for very much longer.
“As far as the business aspect of that, that’s not beneficial to us, it’s not suitable to us. We love the Classic, it’s a wonderful Classic. We just don’t want to play it. It’s a great Classic, I think they do a wonderful job. We just choose not to take place in it anymore.”
