Heritage Bowl Suspended for 2000

ATLANTA - The commissioners of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), along with the Executive Director of the Historically Black Collegiate Coalition (HBCC), announced today that the Heritage Bowl for 2000 would not be played.

The existing agreement, entered into by both leagues and NBC Television in the fall of 1998, was for two years (covering the 1998 and 1999 games) with an exercisable option by either party for subsequent years.

The Heritage Bowl, which is owned by the SWAC & MEAC conferences, will take the time and reevaluate all aspects of the event. including television and marketing rights, and conference structure as It relates to who plays in the game.

The Heritage Bowl has been a showcase for the country's two premiere Historically Black College conferences," said MEAC Commissioner Charles Harris, "Although we are disappointed with the postponement of the 2000 game, we are optimistic about the potential growth of this post-season event"

SWAC Commissioner Rudy Washington explains, "When the concept of the Heritage Bowl was conceived nine years ago, it was an Innovative Idea on the Division I-AA level and its founding fathers are to be commended A lot of work went into making the game a major playmaker in the post-season picture. Unfortunately, local support for the game in the cities that hosted it wasn't substantial enough to merit continuation of the event. Accordingly, we felt that it was in our best interest to discontinue the game at this time.

HBCC Executive Director Craig Cason, whose company has previously marketed the game states, "The timing for this suspension Is right. The committee will take a hard look at every aspect of the event to determinewhat it will take to get It to the next level.

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