The Magic City Classic is scheduled to be played within the next five weeks, but its future is now in jeopardy.
Alabama A&M University has sent a cease and desist letter to the Alabama Sports Council, requesting that the organization no longer use AAMU trademarks, such as the team colors and Bulldogs logo, to promote the MCC.
According to a reporter from Alabama.com’s Roy Johnson, the letter’s demand “extends to all print and digital advertising materials, social media, and blog posts, tickets, passes, banners, flags, signs, merchandise, and displays of the Marks and Images at public and private events such as at press conferences, parades, tailgate parties, luncheons, pep rallies, sponsorship villages, and pre-game and halftime shows and broadcast.”
Also, the letter demands further demands that “the ASC make available for inspection and auditing all books and records that relate to revenue generated and compensation paid” under a management agreement signed in April between the ASC, the City of Birmingham, Alabama, and the opposing team in the Magic City Classic, Alabama State University.
In June, Alabama A&M athletic director Dr. Paul Bryant explained to Fox 54 Sports why changes were made to the MCC agreement.
Birmingham mayor Randall Woodfin is disappointed with AAMU’s change of heart.
“I reached out to {A&M] President [Daniel] Wims to express my disappointment in this form of correspondence,” he said. “Timing is everything, and we are five weeks before Classic. This doesn’t fit the tenor of good faith or relationships. To be clear, this back and forth hurts the brand of the Classic and what we have built for over 80 years. Alumni of both institutions want and deserve a Classic we can all be proud of.”
