CFP changes could put HBCU guarantee games at risk, but the payday isn’t as essential as it once was

College football tradition of big programs paying small schools for games in their stadiums is facing uncertainty due to changes in the sports landscape. Florida A&M will play against No. 7 Miami next week, while Howard will face No. 6 Indiana, the defending national champion. Tennessee State will visit No. 3 Georgia this Saturday.

Historically Black colleges and universities often receive six-figure paydays for these games, which provide national exposure and a chance to compete against major programs. However, the importance of these "money" or "guarantee" games is diminishing as athletic departments seek new revenue streams and become less dependent on external sources of income.

Morgan State athletic director Dena Freeman-Patton believes that the number of such games may decrease in the future, depending on the evolving landscape. Dave Brown, founder of Gridiron scheduling software, notes that the market for these matchups may not be as crucial for FCS schools and HBCUs as it once was. High-profile games can generate payouts of around $500,000 for HBCUs, but these sums are no longer as essential to HBCU operations as they were years ago.

Instead, HBCU football classics, featuring traditional rivalries and held as weekend-long cultural events, have become an alternative, generating significant revenue through ticket sales, sponsorships, and host-city agreements. The creation of streaming platforms by HBCU conferences has further diversified revenue sources.