If you were planning on going to the St. Louis River City Historically Black College and University Football Classic, featuring the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff against Alabama A&M University … it ain’t happening.
Well, it is happening, but you’re gonna have to get in your car and drive 388 miles to Arkansas, as the game is now at Pine Bluff, six hours away. The promoter, Milestone Marketing and Distribution Group and Black College Football Classic Series, suddenly cancelled the St. Louis event Wednesday, just a few days before the game was to be played here.
According to a press release from the organization, “our ability to fully sell Classic Tickets through TicketMaster was impeded, restrained, or not allowed to happen.”
But, some fans are questioning their promotional strategy and have called it, at the very least, ridiculous and some called it downright offensive. According to the press release “after advertising our BRING A BLACK MALE TO THE CLASSIC – YOU MAY CHANGE HIS LIFE, resulted in NO CLASSIC TICKETS being sold.” (You can’t make this up folks).
WOW, can you imagine that, no tickets sold after that promo? What are they trying to imply about Black males? Also, a football game is going to CHANGE SOMEONE’s LIFE?
They actually stated “We expected this promotion to generate 5,000 to 10,000 Classic Tickets sold.” Really?
When I asked Explore St. Louis (the people who are in charge of the Dome) about this, they stated “Mr. Gilbert’s assertions contained in his media release dated 10/12/22 are a red herring overlooking the fact that he was unable to secure a title sponsor for the event and general tickets sales were poor due to his late start in selling tickets. In addition, financial terms of the contract with Milestone Marketing and Distribution Group, Inc. were not fulfilled.”
St. Louisans will remember that the Gateway Classic annual football game was held at the Dome for a number of years, and was well promoted and well attended.
According to Explore “We’re disappointed the event will not take place as we were looking forward to starting a new HBCU tradition at the Dome at America’s Center. We wish the coaches and student athletes the best in their game this weekend.”
