CBC Helps Keep Aggie/Eagle Classic in Triangle
The Aggie/Eagle Classic, an annual football game between North Carolina A&T University and North Carolina Central University, brings more than 40,000 fans to Raleigh each year and last year generated $3.2 million in revenue. After speculation that the Labor Day weekend tradition was moving to Charlotte, the City of Raleigh and Wake County announced on June 4, 2002, that the Aggie/Eagle Classic will remain in the Triangle thanks to an agreement between Capitol Broadcasting Company, the City and the County.
“Capitol Broadcasting is very interested in our community and the continual growth and development of local community events,” said CBC Vice President of Community Relations Paul Pope.
The City of Raleigh and CBC established a non-profit foundation to run the game and secure sponsorship dollars. The Capital Area Sports Foundation (CASF) hired CBC Director of Business Development Jerry Reckerd and his associates at the CBC subsidiary Capitol Sports to run it. The Board of Directors for CASF will come from the community. The organization will also seek additional opportunities for other sporting events that may be held in Raleigh.
CASF will take over management of the games from the athletics departments of the two universities, who previously alternated running the game each year. The City of Raleigh and Wake County will guarantee funding for the event each year through 2005, until the Classic becomes self-sufficient. The foundation expects to be able to take over funding in 2006.
This year the Aggie/Eagle Classic will be played on Sunday, September 1, at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh. The game has been played there since 1994.
Wake County Commissioners’ Chair Linda Coleman said, “While Raleigh and Wake County truly benefit from the event economically, it means much more than money can ever provide because fans come away from this weekend with wonderful memories.”
