Alabama A&M University is coming back to Mobile this fall for the second annual Gulf Coast Challenge, a college football matchup at Ladd-Peebles Stadium that organizers say has quickly become one of the city’s most valuable sporting events. This year’s contest is set for September 28, with the Bulldogs facing Central State University of Wilberforce, Ohio.
The event is produced by the Mobile Sports Authority (MSA), a nonprofit sports commission formed in 2008 by the Mobile County Commission to attract and support sporting events that benefit Mobile County, the city of Mobile and the surrounding region. The organization’s most recent Economic Impact Scoreboard, covering October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018, credited the inaugural Gulf Coast Challenge as the single biggest driver of sports tourism dollars in that period.
That first matchup, between Southern University and Alabama A&M, drew 23,117 fans to Ladd-Peebles Stadium and generated an estimated $6,615,776 in economic impact for the Mobile area, according to MSA figures. The showcase was later recognized by Sports Destination Management, a leading trade publication for sports event planners and tournament directors, as a 2018 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism.
“College football is a huge event in the South, and having the opportunity to host this event for the second year speaks volumes for our area,” said Tim Hale, executive director of the Gulf Coast Challenge. “Last year’s inaugural Gulf Coast Challenge was a big success, and once again we anticipate football fans flocking to Mobile to partake in the events of game week.”
Alabama A&M head football coach Connell Maynor said the trip south from Huntsville is one his program is eager to make again. “Last year’s Gulf Coast Challenge was a great experience for our student athletes, alumni and fans,” Maynor said, “and we’re excited about returning to Mobile for this year’s event.”
Central State enters the matchup under head coach Cedric Pearl, who took over the Marauders program in 2014 after 13 seasons on the Alabama A&M coaching staff. A native of Alabama, Pearl earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Tuskegee University, where he was a three-time all-star in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. “It is an honor to be playing in a high-profile game and competing in my home state of Alabama,” Pearl said of the upcoming matchup.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. on game day, and the contest will mark the seventh all-time meeting between the two Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Alabama A&M, a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, holds a 3-2-1 edge in the series against Central State, which competes in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
“We are very excited to be hosting another HBCU fall football weekend in Mobile,” said Danny Corte, executive director of the Mobile Sports Authority. “If last year’s Gulf Coast Challenge is any indicator, we expect this event to be one that alumni and fans of both schools will not want to miss. We’re putting together another fun-filled week of events for all to enjoy.”
HBCU football has become a fixture on Mobile’s fall sports calendar in recent years. The Fifth Quarter Classic, a similar showcase that has since been replaced by the Gulf Coast Challenge, ranked as the second-largest driver of sports tourism impact in MSA’s 2018 fiscal year report, generating roughly $4,112,000 after its October 2017 game.
Game day itself is only part of the draw. Tailgating will begin the morning of the contest, and Gulf Coast Challenge week will be filled out with a slate of community events, including a kickoff party in the park, a college and career fair, a pep rally and a parade, along with additional gatherings for alumni and visiting dignitaries.
Organizers say more details on tickets and the full schedule of game week events will be announced in the coming months. Residents can find updates at thegulfcoastchallenge.com or by calling 251-281-8202.