HISTORY OF THE PRINCE GEORGE'S CLASSIC

"Classic" games have occurred for more than 30 years across historically black college and university campuses. Many of them resulted from team rivalries between minority institutions, while others have developed through business ventures of private investors. The concept of a "classic" game has evolved over the years and in some instances have transcended from being much more than just a football game and morphed into a true cultural extravaganza. Classic participants return year after year to be a part of the excitement and atmosphere of "black college football." They look forward to experiencing the school pageantry, spirit, camaraderie and the beat of the marching bands during the halftime show.

Precedents of classics' success exist all across the country, each having a significant impact upon the local and surrounding economy. With its superior demographics, the Prince George's Classic has celebrated similar success. Created by local businessmen Mike Little and Hubert "Petey" Green, president of the Prince George's Black Chamber of Commerce, the inaugural Prince George's Classic featured Howard University and Alcorn State University at FedEx Field in September 2004. Despite torrential rain from Hurricane Ivan, several thousand fans witnessed Howard beat Alcorn State 17-10. The following year, the Prince George's Classic was hindered by torrential rain once again as North Carolina A&T University defeated Morgan State University 40-33 in a very competitive double overtime game at FedEx Field.

Although the Prince George's Classic was hampered by rain for the first two years, Little and Green remained committed to their vision. They strongly believed that this endeavor was a great economic opportunity for Prince George's County, the State of Maryland and the DC/Baltimore metropolitan region. In fact, a study conducted by RESI at Towson University, an independent research and consulting institute, indicates that a "classic" of this caliber could generate an estimated $15-$20 million for Prince George's County and create $6 million in labor income.

The third annual Prince George's Classic moved to Bowie State University's Bulldog Stadium. Five thousand additional seats were added to the stadium to accommodate the influx of fans. With the weather finally cooperating, more than 10,000 people attended the game and watched as North Carolina Central rolled past Bowie State 35-13. In year four, the gridiron match-up featured Bowie State and Saint Paul's College. Bowie pulled out a come from behind victory, beating Saint Paul's 41-30.

Each year, the football game is flanked by a host of ancillary events, including the much anticipated battle of the bands, a welcome reception, golf tournament, health and wellness fair, college fair and step show. Last year, the 50 Million Pound Challenge Walk was incorporated into the Classic Weekend at Bowie's campus. This year, organizers are expecting more than 5,000 people to participate in the 5k walk featuring Dr. Ian Smith, founder of the 50 Million Pound Challenge health initiative.

State Farm®, the nation's largest insurer of cars and homes, became the title sponsor of the event in 2007. Throughout the years, the Classic has attracted a host of sponsors and partners, including: Comcast; Southwest Airlines; FedEx; Pepco; B&W Solutions; The Columbia Bank; PhRMA; BDPA; Tec-Masters, Inc.; Downtown Locker Room; Prince George's County; State of Maryland; Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission; Prince George's County Public Schools; The Mall at Prince George's; Washington Informer; WHUR, 96.3FM; and WPGC, 95.5FM.

The fifth annual Prince George's Classic is scheduled for Saturday, October 4, 2008. The Bowie State Bulldogs will take on the Lincoln University Lions in this fierce CIAA gridiron match-up. The kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Bowie State's Bulldog Stadium.