SU faculty, students debate whether Classic should remain with NBC

For years the National Broadcasting Company has been the only network to broadcast the annual State Farm Bayou Classic, which has raised some questions among members of the Jaguar Nation on whether or not other networks are allowed to cover the event.
Carlton Charles III, local sales manager for WBRL and Z19 Television in Baton Rouge, said, “No other station is allowed to show the game because NBC has an exclusive contract for the Bayou Classic.”
“They had this contract for about six years now, and the contract should be up for renewal in the next few years,” Charles said.
With a contract renewal looming in the near future, there are some Southern University students who said they believe it’s time the Classic gets highlighted on other networks as well.
“I really think BET should cover the Bayou Classic because it’s a black television station so it would be perfect,” said Derrick Thomas, a junior accounting major from Texas.
Other Southern students suggest that other networks could re-air the game.
“As long as the other networks air the game at different times, then I don’t see why it should not be on other channels,” said Jamarra Lewis, a junior mass communication major from Dallas.
Some students said there is no purpose to televise the game on another network given NBC’s reputation and positive history with the event.
“Since the game airs on a major network like NBC, I think the coverage it receives on NBC is sufficient,” said Joshua Combs, a sophomore business management major from Baton Rouge.
NBC’s polished history with broadcasting major sporting events has some Southern athletic faculty members convinced the Classic should remain a NBC exclusive.
“NBC has a rich history of doing college athletics,” said Brandon Willis, assistant sports information director for Southern. “They have continuously covered games for Notre Dame and many other collegiate events.”
“No other network should cover the Bayou Classic because we have a history with NBC, and we should be faithful to them as we have been in the past,” Willis said.
To date, the Bayou Classic is the only Historically Black College and University game to be shown nationally on broadcast television, said Southern University System President Ralph Slaughter.
“I am excited that we have this product at Southern because it has been on television for about 10 years now, and it speaks well about our institution,” Slaughter said. “It is also the only HBCU game presented in Ebony Magazine, and it gives us high exposure.”
Slaughter said the airing of the Bayou Classic on national television is a privilege for both Southern and Grambling University.
“I wouldn’t mind the game being on other stations, but NBC already does a great job,” Slaughter said. “There are many historically black colleges and universities that would like to have their game on national television stations.”