AKAs Awarded $100,000 in Sprite Step Off Finals, Why?

By admin
Feb 25, 2010
6:20 pm

The Sprite Step Off finale took place on Feb. 20 in the ATL, and many were not happy with the results. Fourteen teams competed for up to $350,000 in scholarships. After approximately seven hours, of stepping, DJ battling and live musical performances, the judges chose the winners. The prizes were awarded as follows:

Men:

1^st Prize $100,000 – Alpha Phi Alpha, Central State University

2^nd Prize $50,000 – Alpha Phi Alpha, Clark Atlanta University

3^rd Prize $25,000 – Phi Beta Sigma, Rutgers University

Women:

1^st Prize $100,000 – Zeta Tau Alpha, University of Arkansas

2^nd Prize $50,000 – Alpha Kappa Alpha, Indiana University

3^rd Prize $25,000 – Delta Sigma Theta, Clark Atlanta University

Let’s go behind the scenes for a moment:

After Drake performed, many attendees left the building. Those who stayed for the results were required to come to the front and fill seats because the show was being televised. That process took approximately 20 minutes.

The third place for the men was a two-way tie and was settled with each of the teams performing one additional step to help the judges to decide.

As the AKAs were presented with the second place prize, the crowd began to rumble and boo as they anticipated the first place prize money being given to ZTA, a predominately white sorority. When ZTA was announced as the winners, both cheers and boos filled the Civic Center.

It was 1:20 a.m. and people were just leaving!

The AKAs and ZTA both did an excellent job, they respectfully earned first and second place. However, many feel that because the AKAs are a black sorority they should have won despite the fact that ZTA out stepped several black sororities to get to the top three. Others simply feel that the AKAs had a better routine. Regardless, it was a huge upset and the nine-member team from Arkansas took home $100,000 in scholarship money.

Four days later it is announced that there had been a scoring error, and that the AKAs would also be awarded $100,000 as co-winners of first place. The scoring errors have not been revealed publicly; and with five judges, there’s no way there could have been a 50-50 split in votes. Despite it being past 1:00 a.m. in the morning, I would have loved to have seen a tiebreaker showdown between the two. But unfortunately, even if ZTA had won the tiebreaker, they probably still would have caught flack. Sad, but true … –steve simpson