Alabama A&M has issued a cease and desist letter to the Alabama Sports Council for unauthorized usage of university trademarks in promotion of the Magic City Classic, per a report by local Birmingham news affiliate WBRC. The letter to the ASC, who oversee the Magic City Classic, demanded the usage of university trademarked images such as the Bulldog mascot as well as images of football players to sell sponsorships. WBRC reports that the letter caught Eventive Sports off-guard. Eventive Sports works closely with the Alabama Sports Council to produce the popular HBCU classic.
“We are definitely trying to overcome whatever confusion that is out there so that way we can have a resolution and be able to put on a great event on October 28 that everybody knows, loves and is used to,” Vice President for Eventive Sports, Collegiate and Amateur Sports Division Perren King said in a statement obtained by WBRC.
Alabama State and Alabama A&M face off in the Magic City Classic, reported to be the most attended HBCU football classic in America. The classic continues the storied in-state rivalry between the Hornets and Bulldogs, which dates back to 1924. In April, a mutual agreement was reached between the two schools to extend their presence at Legion Field for an additional four years.
According to reports, the city has committed to providing the schools with an annual payment of half a million dollars. The cease-and-desist letter exacerbated feelings of uneasiness about the future of the classic. The cease and desist letter also sequesters that the Alabama Sports Council makes available all books and records of revenue generated from the classical and compensation paid for audit.