Jaguars, Aggies to meet in Las Vegas Classic

LAS VEGAS — When the Southern University Jaguars head West this Fall to take on the North Carolina A&T Aggies in the First Annual Las Vegas Football Classic, they plan to bring some ‘down home’ style to the City of Lights.
With a rich, tradition-laden history in the Eastern United States, the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) experience is rolling into Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium Sept. 13 and the Jaguar Nation will give the atmosphere an electric charge!
The 2003 Las Vegas Football Classic has guaranteed $375,000 to Southern, including expenses, making it one of the highest classic pay-outs in black college sports. The game will also be nationally televised.
“The game on the field will be the centerpiece of a celebration honoring the institutions that provide opportunity to African-Americans,” said Southern Athletic Director Floyd Kerr. “More than anything, however, is that this game is a great reason for African-Americans from all over the country to visit Vegas, America’s most glamorous city. We are delighted to be associated with this event and hope to make the Jaguar Nation proud.”
Urban Sports & Entertainment Group (USEG), which for 10 years has been one of the largest HBCU sports marketing firms in the country, has teamed with Las Vegas Events, New Creation Productions (NCP) of Las Vegas and CMC Enterprises of Atlanta, to host the event. USEG clients include the Bayou Classic, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Basketball Tournament, the Ford Black College Football Road Trip and the Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB). USEG has raised more than $13 million on behalf of HBCUs and their programs. “Not only will the Las Vegas Football Classic expose young people in the Las Vegas community to a black culture mostly foreign to them, but there will also be tremendous opportunity for black businesses and entrepreneurs,” said Jon Simon, president of NCP. “An HBCU classic is about more than the final score, it’s about opportunity, community and unity. This game brings all of those elements to the City of Las Vegas.”
As for all HBCU classic weekends, the Las Vegas Football Classic has something scheduled for everyone. At the official after party, The Neville Brothers will be featured in concert at the Stardust Hotel. There will be a Vendor Marketplace at Sam Boyd Stadium featuring jewelry,
African art and clothes, while the Greek stepshow will feature fraternities and sororities competing for $5,000 in prizes. The stepshow will be the prelude to the battle of the bands Friday, Sept. 12 at the Thomas & Mack Center between Southern’s Human Jukebox and A&T’s Marching Machine.
North Carolina A&T and Southern University have met four times on the gridiron and the record stands at two wins apiece. A&T won the first meeting in 1942, Southern won the 1970 and 1971 match ups, while A&T won the last meeting in the 1994 Heritage Bowl 22-21.
For Southern fans traveling to the classic, Rio/Harrah’s will be the official team hotel of the Jaguar team and alumni.
Tickets for the game went on sale May 12. To reserve travel packages and learn more about the Las Vegas Football Classic weekend, visit http://www.vegasfootballclassic.com or call 702-804-5529.