Selma and Marion are hosting many activities this week surrounding the second HBCU Pigskin Showdown that kicks off Saturday at Marion Military Institute’s football field.
The all-star football game features top players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities who are playing to make the pros in front of NFL scouts from 25 teams and a national audience on CNBC, NBCSports.com and Peacock. Tickets are available through TicketSmarter to attend in-person.
Organizers hope to welcome 5,000 fans for the game at David Robinson Memorial Stadium on MMI campus.
Before the game, the Showdown is hosting many local events, including fan days in Selma and Marion, a Hall of Fame dinner on Thursday night, a parade over Edmund Pettus Bridge on Friday and a Battle of the Bands after the game on Saturday.
Last year’s inaugural Pigskin game brought in 16 scouts from NFL teams to size up players from 30 HBCU teams for their rosters.
The City of Marion and MMI have met with organizers for a year to plan for this year’s event. Upgrades have been made to MMI’s football field and seats are being added for the game.
Marion police and public works have worked to get the city ready for national visitors and will direct traffic during the event. Parking is available on MMI campus. Drivers should enter campus on Murfee Street, then follow the signs to parking.
Col. Ed Passmore, senior vice president and commandant of cadets, said Marion is known for holding center stage to prominent football events in the past. Legendary University of Alabama football Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant used MMI’s stadium for practices and Bama quarterback Kenny Stabler brought kids there for summer football camps.
Before the Saturday game, the Pigskin Showdown will host a fan day in Selma on Wednesday and in Marion on Thursday. Fans can watch a practice game at Breakthrough Charter School’s field on Briar Drive in Marion on Thursday and get autographs and photos from players and coaches after.
A Unity Parade on Friday will be held with players and coaches marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge to show unity.
A new activity this year is the Alabama HBCU Hall of Fame dinner in Selma on Thursday night. The Hall of Fame will induct its first class at the dinner that includes Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr., an Alabama A&M alumnus, and president of Alabama State University, Dr. Quinton T. Ross.
Chris Williams, Pigskin executive director and co-founder, is an MMI alumnus who lives in Mobile. He and co-founder Bryant Grove have experience coaching arena football and wanted to give HBCU players a chance to shine with NFL scouts and increase the number that make the pros.
The game will be an economic boon for Marion, Selma and the Black Belt region, with spectators needing to buy gas, stay in hotels and eat at area restaurants, Williams said. He expects to see many HBCU college fans and administrators come to Marion for the weekend to attend the game and be a part of the growing festivities around it.
For information and to get tickets to the events you can go to the website www.hbcupigskinshowdown.com and you can find them on Facebook and Instagram.
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