Officials say Magic City Classic still a go despite AAMU letter

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) -If you have plans for the Magic City Classic, they’re probably locked in at this point, which is why a recent letter from one of the participating schools is raising a bit of concern among Birmingham City leaders.

An attorney representing Alabama A&M sent a cease-and-desist letter Monday to the Alabama Sports Council demanding the ASC no longer use the university’s well-known trademarks that include any pictures of the Bulldog mascot and any players to promote or sell sponsorships to the Magic City Classic. It comes just weeks before the game and caught Eventive Sports, the group that works closely with ASC, off guard.

“We are definitely trying to overcome whatever confusion that is out there so that way we can have a resolution and be able to put on a great event on October 28 that everybody knows, loves and is used to,” Perren King, Vice President for Eventive Sports, Collegiate and Amateur Sports Division said.

King said this latest roadblock doesn’t mean the game isn’t happening.

“Absolutely. It’s absolutely a go. The event is something that both schools already have contracted with the city of Birmingham…so again for the next four years, it’s going to be at Legion Field,” King said.

Back in April, both schools signed an agreement to play at Legion Field for four more years with the city reportedly paying the schools half a million dollars annually. An agreement was reached after months of negotiations.

The letter also demands ASC make available for inspection and auditing all books and records relating to revenue generated and compensation paid under a management agreement between ASC, A&M and ASU. Despite the back and forth, King is hopeful everyone involved will be able to work things out.

“It’s still business as usual with the other fronts but we want to make sure that we’ve got clarity as to what we received less than 24 hours ago,” King said.

Mayor Randall Woodfin sent WBRC this statement about the AAMU letter:

“I reached out to President Wims to express my disappointment in this form of correspondence. Timing is everything and we are five weeks before Classic. This doesn’t fit the tenor of good faith or relationships. To be clear this back and forth hurts the brand of the Classic and what we have built for more than 80 years. Alumni of both institutions want and deserve a Classic we can all be proud of,” Woodfin said.

King tells us last week, ASC sent a new contract proposal to A&M and it sounds like things are still being worked out with it.

WBRC is still waiting to hear back from A&M’s attorney about what this means as we get closer to another Magic City Classic.

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