General Motors was proud to support the 48th annual Bayou Classic, a historic gridiron rivalry between Grambling State University and Southern University, held annually in New Orleans, LA over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The Classic traditionally encompasses a weekend series of entertaining and socially enriching events, including the Battle of the Bands, a greek fraternity step show, and of course the highly anticipated face-off between the Grambling Tigers and the Southern Jaguars.
This year marked the return of the game as COVID put a halt to last year’s festivities. However, the classic was back like it never left. Thousands of fans descended upon Caesars Super Dome for what was a fascinating weekend full of surprises and delights. At the end of the weekend, the Grambling State University Tigers emerged the victor over the Southern University Jaguars, 29-26.
This was only one of the HBCU events General Motors supported as a result of their partnership with the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). It was announced in October that General Motors was named as its exclusive automotive sponsor through 2024. The three-year deal spans the entire conference footprint with GM supporting multiple touchpoints from championship events and scholarships to Esports gaming labs and workforce readiness and recruitment initiatives.
“Words can’t adequately express my excitement to welcome General Motors as the official automotive sponsor of the Southwestern Athletic Conference,” said SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland.
As a result of the sponsorship, GM will hold the presenting naming rights to another SWAC Football Classic featuring Alcorn State University Braves vs. Jackson State University Tigers.
GM is a company that strongly believes in investing in and supporting the Black experience. It is important to them to engage the future leaders of the Black community. The Bayou Classic is a new space for them, and they want to continue to reinforce their commitment and empowerment of the Black community at-large. They see their SWAC partnership as a unique opportunity for them to expand their reach and engage a new audience within the Black cultural space.
“We champion diversity and inclusion on all fronts. Our commitment to Historically Black Colleges and Universities is paramount to strengthening our diverse talent pipeline and propelling the visibility of student athletes, alumni and each of the universities represented,” said Tarshena Armstrong, director of diversity marketing and development for General Motors.
“Representation matters. SWAC is the premiere HBCU athletic conference boasting a celebratory spirit of community and connectivity. GM is proud to help drive change and impact with our partnership across each of the SWAC sporting events,” Armstrong continued to say.
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