FAMU Announces Television Pact with Urban Broadcasting
June 5, 2003
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida A&M President Fred Gainous
announced Thursday afternoon, that the university had agreed to a five-year,
multi-million dollar contract with the Urban Broadcasting Company (UBC) to produce
and
broadcast football and other select athletic events nationwide.
The official announcement, made at a 3:30 conference on the steps of the
Lee Hall Administration building, was in reference to the pact, whose
estimated value could reach $24 million over the five-year span.
Florida A&M's partnership with UBC is part of the university’s overall
marketing push as it prepares to move its’ storied football program to NCAA
Division 1-A in 2004.
Dr. J.R.E. Lee, Florida A&M’s Interim Director of Athletics, who
possesses an extensive background in broadcasting and is the former president of the
National Association of Black-Owned Broadcasters, was elated to have the
agreement finalized.
"This five-year contract will generate a substantial increase in
revenue for us each year. And with our schedule of football Classics in 2003 and our
effort to move to Division 1-A, the timing of such an agreement will be
vital to the overall success of not only football, but the total athletic program
as well.
"The additional exposure Florida A&M will receive from this agreement
will also enhance the image of the entire university. The expansive scope of
this package will allow us to penetrate into markets that Athletics and the
university had not been previously exposed to," Dr. Lee concluded.
Ms. Peggy Dodson, President of the Urban Broadcasting Company says of the
agreement: “FAMU has a long history of excellence in football and other
sports. UBC Sports is excited about our relationship with Florida A&M and is
looking forward to helping make them a national brand. Our ultimate goal is to take
Black College Sports to the next level.
“With this agreement also comes the opportunity to highlight key academic
programs and telecast the sights and sounds of their world famous “Marching
100 Band, ” Dodson added.
UBC is a Harlem, New York-based broadcast multi-media company that has
begun to rollout its’ cable programming nationally. UBC’s mission is to create
innovated and dynamic original program geared for a modern Urban/Multicultural
Market.
Up to this point, Florida A&M has never realized more than $150,000
from any one televised football game, but this potential blockbuster deal could
change that.
During the period from 1978 to 1983, the ABC Television Network aired
six Florida A&M football games: five regionally (two in 1978; one each in 1980,
1982 and 1983) and one nationally - the 1978 NCAA Division 1-AA Championship
game.
FAMU was paid as much as $150,000 each for four of those games: their
1978 regular season game against Southern University; the 1980 game against
University of Miami; the 1982 contest against South Carolina State and the 1983
bout against Tennessee State.
Florida A&M's two NCAA Division 1-AA playoff games in 1978 - against
Jackson State (semifinals) and Massachusetts (championship) - were also aired by
ABC, but television revenues went to the NCAA - which at that time controlled
the airing of college football games.
Since 1983, Florida A&M has made 43 televised football appearances - all
on various cable networks with mostly regional and some limited national
exposure, yet with substantially little financial benefit.
Further details on broadcast schedules for specific sports, markets
(cities) will be available at a later date.
