In a significant turn of events, Tennessee State University has officially opted out of participating in the Southern Heritage Classic. TSU Interim President Dwayne Tucker confirmed this decision during a recent meeting with alumni in Memphis, according to a report by Action News 5.

According to Tucker, the university was not presented with an adequate financial offer from the event’s promoter to justify continuing its long-standing involvement. The cancellation highlights ongoing financial challenges at TSU.
“I think most people understand that TSU has some financial issues,” Tucker stated in an interview with Action News 5. “we need to walk and correct ourselves, so to play an event where it’s financially not in our best interest; the fee that’s being proposed—it’s just not a good financial return for Tennessee State. But we’d love to come back.”
About the Southern Heritage Classic
The Southern Heritage Classic is an annual football game that began with a matchup between Jackson State University and Tennesse State University at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis. The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff replaced Jackson State starting in 2023. Since its inception in 1990, TSU has participated in every game, making this decision particularly notable for students, alumni, and fans alike.
Promoter Fred Jones shared that he had offered the university $400,000 annually over a five-year period, with $300,000 allocated to the football team and the marching band, while the remaining $100,000 would cover expenses. Jones emphasized that he had sent the proposal to the university on Jan. 17 and had not received a formal response by the requested deadline of Jan. 27.
The Southern Heritage Classic has historically attracted large crowds, with a record attendance of 61,171 in 1997. Average attendance since the inception of the TSU-Jackson State rivalry in 1994 has hovered around 50,000.