For the first time in 35 years, Tennessee State University will no longer play in the Southern Heritage Classic. Interim President Dwayne Tucker shared the news in a meeting with alumni last week.

During the meeting, President Tucker shared that the university was not offered enough money from the promoter to accept a new contract. When news first broke about Tennessee State potentially not participating in the classic, Southern Heritage Classic founder and promoter Fred Jones said that he was in immediate contact with university officials when he saw that the classic was not on Tennessee State’s schedule.

“I think most people understand that TSU has some financial issues,” Tucker told Action News 5, “that we need to walk and correct ourselves, so to play an event where it’s financially not in our best interest; the fee that’s being proposed—it’s just not a good financial return for Tennessee State. But we’d love to come back.”

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Jones offered the university $400,000 yearly to play in the classic for the next five years. $300,000 would go towards the football team and marching band, while the remaining $100,000 would go to other expenses.

Tennessee State is not the first university to pull out of the Southern Heritage Classic. Jackson State University pulled out of the classic back in 2022. Since their departure, Coach Eddie George openly desired for Jackson State to play against Tennessee State again in the game. 51,351 people attended the last Southern Heritage Classic between Jackson State and Tennessee State, a record attendance that hasn't been seen in more than ten years.

Jackson State entered a five-year deal with the Southern Heritage Classic in 2019. After withdrawing from the classic in 2022, this led to a lawsuit between Jackson State and Summitt Management Corporation. This resulted in the university paying Summitt $800,000.

The Southern Heritage Classic is an annual college football game between HBCUs held in Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee.