The Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic, one of the oldest HBCU football rivalries, will move from Columbus, Georgia, to Montgomery, Alabama, for its 85th iteration.
Although Morehouse and Steven Reed, the mayor of Montgomery, celebrated the move, residents of Columbus are less than pleased about the—and its lost revenue for the city.
“Understand the backdrop of Montgomery as the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement,” Reed, a Morehouse alumnus, told WVTM. “Understand the type of educational opportunities it’ll have for the student athletes as well as the fans who are coming. It was a business
decision from the standpoint of what we were prepared to offer to bring the game to Montgomery versus what they were being offered in other cities in particular Columbus where they played last year.”Columbus resident Terrance Flowers hinted that a potential reason for the game’s relocation could be a lack of attendance.
“I don’t know why they left but I know it’s something that’s going to hurt this city. It reminds me of one of those things, if you really like something you have to pour into it,” Flowers told WVTM.
According to Al.com, the game’s history in Columbus stretches back to 1936. Every game since has been played there except from 2020 to 2023.Lisa Goodwin, chairperson for The Classic, as the game is known, told the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer that Harold Ellis, Morehouse College’s athletics director, informed her that the game was moved due to financial considerations.
Goodwin also noted that the home team has the right to decide where the game is played.
“The game here in Columbus has historical significance,” Goodwin said. “And we hope that one day Morehouse College recognizes that, as Tuskegee University does.”
Goodwin also noted that attendance was down last year, something she attributed to the move from Birmingham back to Columbus.
“There has to be consistency for people to (go) all-in and believe that it’s going to be here,” she said. “So this year, in 2025, the fact that they are leaving again makes it disappointing for us.”
Ellis, meanwhile, is hopeful that Alabama’s capital city will turn out for the game.
“I have no doubt they will show up and show out for this Classic!” Ellis said in an
April 18 release. “Beyond the excitement on the field, this is an incredible opportunity for our student-athletes, band members, and students to experience the rich civil rights history embedded in the city. Morehouse’s legacy runs deep in Alabama.”RELATED CONTENT: Tuskegee Earns Bragging Rights Over Morehouse In NBA HBCU Classic