Countdown to the Orange Blossom Classic begins
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Posted By: S. Moore on May 24, 2023 Labor Day weekend may be months away, but organizers of the Orange Blossom Classic (OBC) are fired up for this year’s matchup between Jackson State University and Florida A&M University. Event organizers and community leaders gathered May 23 at Miami Gardens City Hall for the 2023 press conference kickoff event, including Kendra Bullock, executive director of the Orange Blossom Classic Committee; Miami-Dade County Commission Chairman Oliver G. Gilbert III; Angela Adams Scuggs, president and CEO of the Florida Sports Foundation; T.C. Taylor, head football coach at Jackson State University; and Willie Simmons, head football coach Florida A&M University. “We’re so glad to have this wonderous rebirth continue. What a wonderful part of South Florida to have as a centerpiece to our sports program,” Bullock said. “Three years ago at Hard Rock Stadium we proclaimed we were back. This year we assure you we have no intention of going anywhere. The Orange Blossom Classic is here in the beautiful city of Miami Gardens to stay.” Since its revival, Bullock said the game has brought more than $33 million to both Miami-Dade and Broward counties, supported more than 9,000 jobs, and its combined sponsor supporter network brought in $2 million in scholarships to academic institutions. The Orange Blossom Classic was founded in 1933 by the son of Florida A&M University’s president, J.R.E. Lee Jr., and quickly became the postseason’s must-see game. The inaugural game, where FAMU beat Howard 9-0, successfully established the foundation of historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) classics. From 1933-1978, the game was the premier HBCU classic event. After a 43-year hiatus, it made its return to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The OBC was reestablished to enhance HBCU exposure in the Miami Gardens community. Annually, it attracts thousands of fans, alumni, students and family members. The overarching goal of the game is to raise scholarship funds for participating schools for years to come. Miami-Dade County Commission Chairman Gilbert praised the hard work of everyone involved in reestablishing the event. “This is a testament to not just what we did or what the county did, it’s what about all of you did,” he said. “It’s the business community. The community welcomed us back because they understood it as more than football.” Scuggs agreed, saying the game was near and dear to everyone in the room. “The Orange Blossom Classic is a legacy event of Miami-Dade County. I was born and raised in Tallahassee, but Miami-Dade County is my second home. This event is amazing. Miami Gardens is the sports capital of the Florida,” she said, while noting it has hosted Super Bowls, the Miami Open and now the Miami Grand Prix. SOURCE The Miami Times Online If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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