Florida A&M Selected To Host High School Football Championships
Florida A&M has a unique opportunity to host the Florida High School Athletics Association state football championships.
The FHSAA announced that all nine championship games will occur on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium in early December. This is after the title games were split between two sites in 2022 - Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee and DRV PNK Stadium, home to Major League Soccer's Inter Miami.
Director of Athletics Tiffani-Dawn Sykes and the Rattler administration have been in the news for a myriad of reasons, from the dedication of Ken Riley Field to the Boston Richey situation to forgoing the Orange Blossom Classic to increase the number of home games. But being named the host for the FHSAA championships is a multi-layered chance to showcase and grow the brand in Florida.
First, the revenue will be sizeable for the university and athletic department in a football-crazed state. Being the host will bring funds to support the institution and athletic department between ticket sales, vendors and other gameday activities.
A good showing also expands the benefits beyond the university. Florida A&M hosting the title games will inherently bring in revenue to Tallahassee, the capital of Florida. If all goes as planned, FAMU can leverage this to improve its rapport with the local and state governments, where it can market itself as a positive representation of the state that makes money. That can lead to the school being called upon to host other events outside of the sports landscape, further growing the brand of Florida A&M.
Secondly, head coach Willie Simmons and the Rattler football program won't have to travel far to watch the best high school talent and sell the program to potential recruits.
Florida is rich in talent; players considered average in the state would be in the upper echelon in many places around the country. Instead of making a 7-hour drive from Tallahassee to Miami, the staff only has to walk to Bragg to evaluate and potentially offer the talented players taking the field.
It's also an opportunity to introduce the university to players who would otherwise not know about Florida A&M. Guys would have the chance to tour facilities and talk to coaches, and the staff has the opportunity to put the Rattlers on their minds.
This isn't to say that the Rattlers will get every recruit. But as players go through the recruiting process, they'll be aware of what Florida A&M has to offer, something that doesn't happen without the school hosting the state championship.