HBCU sports is a business. Inside are several recognizable and extremely marketable brands. Grambling State is a brand. Jackson State is a brand. Florida A&M, Southern, and Howard are also significant brands. Locate investment partners in these brands is the challenge — for years.
Mar 19, 2024; Dayton, OH, USA; Howard Bison head coach Kenny Blakeney coaches in the second half against the Howard Bison at UD Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY SportsThe blueprint for Blakeney's proposal's success can be seen in the recent example of Deion Sanders and the Jackson State football program from 2020 to 2022.
Sanders brought in entities such as Aflac and Walmart to help fund initiatives for Jackson State's football team. Coach Prime understood his and his team's market value. In an, SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland confessed what he learned about Sanders being a marketable brand. Dougherty mentioned that Coach Blakeney is actively involved in pitching his proposal. He met with a private equity firm in June and then went to Las Vegas for a charity golf event in mid-July, where he discussed the proposal with private equity investors. His proposal involves an equal revenue share, with one-third going to Howard, one-third to the basketball program, and one-third to the owners.