College football game moves from Mercedes-Benz Stadium ‘due to lack of support’
A college football game originally scheduled for Saturday in Mercedes-Benz Stadium is relocating and being postponed.
The Georgia Football Classic, an HBCU showdown between Florida A&M and Mississippi Valley State, will now take place Nov. 29 at Mississippi Valley’s Rice-Totten Stadium in Itta Bena.
“We regret the impact that this unexpected change will have on our fans, and we will make every effort to provide a quality game-day experience during the rescheduled date of competition,” a statement from FAMU read. “While this outcome is disappointing for our fans and community, our focus remains on upholding the standards and integrity of our athletics programs.”
It is unclear exactly what caused the change just days before kickoff.
“We are disappointed,” Georgia Football Classic producer Tyrone Hill said in a statement. “We tried our hardest to the bitter end to bring this unique brand of excitement and culture to the Atlanta area. But, in the end, due to lack of support, it was just not feasible.”
The event was also slated to feature a battle of the two teams’ bands — the Mean Green Marching Machine (MVSU) the the Marching 100 (FAMU) — after the football game.
According to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium website, fans who purchased tickets through Ticketmaster will receive automatic refunds.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosts numerous college football games annually, including the Aflac Kickoff Games, the SEC Championship, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the Cricket Celebration Bowl. It is also hosting the UGA-Georgia Tech game this year.
About the Author
Caitlyn Stroh-Page is the senior sports editor high school sports and college football at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Her resume includes stops at Sports Illustrated Kids, Scout.com, The (Macon) Telegraph, the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader and the Athens Banner-Herald. A South Georgia native, Stroh-Page lives in the Athens area.
