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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Grambling State University and Jackson State University are scheduled to play each other at Allegiant Stadium Oct. 25 in a matchup of two storied HBCU football programs.
The Raiders and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) Thursday announced the Gambling State-Jackson State game as the Las Vegas HBCU Classic.
On Jan, 14, the LVCVA board approved a $350,000 sponsorship for the game. Both college teams are football fixtures in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).
The Raiders are charged with managing Allegiant Stadium, with ASM Global hired by the Raiders to run the domed, 62,500-seat venue.
Las Vegas HBCU Classic will showcase two of college football’s most celebrated marching bands: Grambling’s “World Famed” Tiger Marching Band and Jackson State’s internationally renowned “Sonic Boom of the South.”
A press release cited this quote from Raiders team president Sandra Douglass Morgan: “The Raiders organization has a deep and long-standing connection to HBCU football that dates to the early years of the franchise under Al Davis and includes three Pro Football Hall of Famers from HBCU programs, the first Black quarterback selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, the first Black head coach in modern NFL history, and dozens of outstanding players, coaches, and administrators. We eagerly anticipate the pride and passion of HBCU football visiting Las Vegas in October.”
UNLV’s football team pays the Raiders to use Allegiant Stadium. The Las Vegas Bowl plus other one-off college football games are also played in the NFL stadium.
Records showed that in 2023 UNLV paid the Raiders about $404,000 to $419,000 for each of the six regular season home games at Allegiant Stadium. So the $350,000 that the LVCVA is paying stadium manager ASM Global for the game sponsorship should cover the majority of the costs of staging the Grambling State-Jacksonville State game at Allegiant Stadium.