Florida A&M to forgo future Orange Blossom Classic games, says athletic director

BY BRANDON KING

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to provide attribution of the source that originally reported Tiffani-Dawn Sykes’s quote and accurately reports the exact quote provided by Sykes.

Throughout its initial 44-year run from 1933 to 1978, the Orange Blossom Classic cemented itself as one of the preeminent postseason HBCU Classics.

Revived in 2021, the Orange Blossom Classic is now one of the crown jewels of the early portion of the HBCU football season, with Florida A&M and Jackson State now part of the series.  

The Tigers and the Rattlers will once again face off in the 2023 iteration of the game. However, in 2024, the Orange Blossom Classic will feature a different matchup, as Florida A&M will not be a participant.

However, in an interview with HBCU GameDay, FAMU athletic director Tiffani Dawn-Sykes indicated the school declined an invitation to return to the Orange Blossom Classic.

“We sincerely appreciate the efforts of Miami Gardens and all the partners involved in perpetuating a unique cultural experience that not only helps not only the schools involved but youth in the area with valuable scholarships,” she said. “Along with the game, bringing back the custom of the Marching ‘100’ stepping down the streets of Dade County is a part of FAMU’s athletic history that is steeped in FAMU tradition. While we do respect that, we have a responsibility to our season ticket holders, Investing in Champions members and local partners to bring a minimum of five to six home games to Tallahassee annually.”

This is the final year of the current contract for the OBC, which included matchups with Jackson State in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Florida A&M reportedly turned down a three-year deal that would offer payouts of $450,000 in 2024, $500,000 in 2025, and $525,000 in 2026.

According to the blog Rattler Nation, during a recent virtual meeting with FAMU National Alumni Association members, Sykes said she had not seen $400,000 or $450,000 from the OBC.

Rattler Nation announced that it acquired a copy of an email from OBC officials to Sykes, presenting a renewed contract proposal to FAMU. The contract entails a total payment of $1.47 million over a span of three years for the school.

If FAMU does not participate in the OBC in 2024, it will be the first time in the history of the game that the Rattlers will not be part of it.