ST. LOUIS — The football game featuring the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions against the Alabama A&M University Bulldogs will be played at Simmons Bank Field in Pine Bluff on Sunday, Oct. 16 at 3:00PM. All tickets purchased to the St. Louis HBCU River City Classic, including those through Ticketmaster, will be honored at Golden Lions Stadium entrance gates. Those who purchased their tickets through UAPB's ticket office for the Classic and want a refund will be refunded.
Those who purchased tickets through Ticketmaster and want a refund must contact Ticketmaster.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff Director of Athletics Chris Robinson said based on unfulfilled contractual obligations by the organizers of the St. Louis Classic, both schools were left with serious uncertainty about the game's venue, transportation, housing accommodations and whether other agreed-upon expenses would be covered. UAPB determined it was not in the best interest of the university to incur additional expenses to travel to and lodge in St. Louis.
"We are thankful to our university administration and athletics department staff for quickly pivoting to ensure we are able to host Alabama A&M so that fans can still see this matchup between the football teams and experience our band and the excitement of our cheer squads," AD Robinson said. "We were excited about taking our team, band, cheer squads and fans to St. Louis and hope that we're able to do so in the near future."
"Although we are disappointed at not being able to participate in the St. Louis HBCU River City Classic, we are excited to be back on the campus at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, said Alabama A&M Director of Athletics, Paul Bryant."
Here's the press release from the Milestone Marketing and Distribution Group and Black College Football Classic Series:
The Milestone Marketing and Distribution Group and Black College Football Classic Series announces that the St. Louis River City Historically Black College and University Football Classic (Classic), featuring the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions Football Team (UAPB), against the Alabama A&M University Bulldogs Football Team (AAMU), has been canceled and relocated to the campus of the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff at Simmons Bank Field. The football game will be played on Sunday, October 16, at 3:00 pm.
The Classic was canceled because we experienced substantial and critical interference concerning producing and promoting the Classic at the hands of Explore St. Louis – Dome at America's Center, Critical and KEY Personnel (Key Dome Personnel). As a result, our ability to fully sell Classic Tickets through TicketMaster was impeded, restrained, or not allowed to happen. And as we all know, when your ability to sell Tickets for an Event is compromised, the Event is ultimately doomed for failure; such is the Classic at this very moment.
Explore St. Louis – Dome at America’s Center substantial interference regarding the Classic includes: Excessive Ticketing and Facility Fees, Refusal to Provide Classic Consignment Tickets, Unexplained Interference with Classic Contractual Business Relationships, and Unusual Charges and Fees.
However, the most critical and fatal of our issues with Explore St. Louis – Dome at America’s Center and their Key Dome Personnel is INTENTIONALLY IMPLEMENTING INVALID TICKETMASTER PROMO CODES - We wanted to allow not-for-profit and local youth organizations (primarily African American) to use the Classic as a fundraising vehicle. Therefore, we wanted to provide all organizations with a URL so they may sell and track their Ticket Sales for the Classic. However, the Dome at America’s Center Ticketing Department could not provide us with simple URLs.
Therefore, we decided to give all organizations Promo Codes. We implemented at least 65 organizations with Promo Codes through the Dome at America’s Center Ticketing Department. However, we quickly realized that the Promo Codes were invalid and did not work. The use of Dome at America Ticketing Department Promo Codes was a complete and EPIC failure. And together, after advertising our BRING A BLACK MALE TO THE CLASSIC – YOU MAY CHANGE HIS LIFE, resulted in NO CLASSIC TICKETS being sold. We expected this Promotion to generate 5,000 to 10,000 Classic Tickets sold and RAMP UP Classic Ticket Sales, and it was a great opportunity to introduce young Black males to HBCU culture. This Promotion alone would have enabled us to generate HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
However, Key Dome Personnel programmed the Promotion for TICKETMASTER PASSCODES, which the general public does not understand, and we did not request. Nor did they do anything to correct the problem as of today. These situations created numerous problems.
TICKETMASTER REFUND
AAMU nor UAPB will refund Classic tickets. However, if anyone purchased a Classic Ticket and desires a refund, please go to the point of purchase at TicketMaster. And TicketMaster.com will gladly refund all tickets purchased through TicketMaster. Accordingly, TicketMaster.com will email everyone who purchased Classic tickets through TicketMaster.com, alerting them to the cancellation of the Classic and the opportunity for a refund.
TICKETMASTER CLASSIC CONSIGNMENT TICKETS
AAMU, UAPB, Explore St. Louis - the Dome at America’s Center, nor TicketMaster.com will refund TicketMaster Classic Consignment Tickets. TicketMaster Classic Consignment Tickets were a fundraiser for participating not-for-profit organizations (marching bands and community dance teams). We hope you will support these organizations and allow them to retain the monies you provided by purchasing a TicketMaster Classic Consignment Ticket.