Alabama A&M says it has hired a firm to promote the 82nd Magic City Classic.

“AAMU has retained Rashada LeRoy with LRY Media Group to serve as AAMU’s promoter for this event,” wrote Athletic Director Dr. Paul A. Bryant in a letter to Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin dated September 13, 2023, and obtained by AL.com. “Ms. LeRoy is authorized to receive the assets and inventory to be provided to AAMU under the Agreement for Legion Field Stadium with the City of Birmingham.”

Production of the storied HBCU rivalry game has long been managed by the Alabama Sports Council (ASC), a nonprofit entity that engages Eventive Sports to handle sponsorship sales and overall operations. Alabama State has a four-year agreement with ASC to manage the Classic.

Between 2016 and 2021 the total payout for each school, based on figures provided by the Alabama Sports Council (ASC), the non-profit entity that oversees sales and operations for the Classic, averaged $739,581. Last year, the payout was about $880,000, the largest for any HBCU encounter in the nation.

For several months, A&M has refused to sign a contract with ASC.

The Bryant letter continues: “AAMU has not authorized any other entity to act on its behalf with respect to the 2023 Magic City Classic or the Agreement for Legion Field Stadium.”

Specifically, the letter states that A&M “has not authorized” the ASC), Eventive Sports, or Alabama State University “to speak or act on AAMU’s behalf.”

In an Exhibit A, the letter lists 22 assets it says it is entitled to oversee under the Legion Field agreement. Among them: tickets, skyboxes/suites, credentials, and items related to the parade and tailgate/hospitality facilities.

Bryant has not yet responded to AL.com’s request for further comment.

As dated, the letter was sent two days before an A&M-imposed deadline for ASC to submit a new contract proposal. (A&M and ASU have signed an agreement to receive $500,000 each from the City of Birmingham for the next four years.)

On Thursday, September 14, in response to an August 25 meeting comprising representatives from A&M, Eventive and others, the institution received a new contract proposal from ASC. Under it, on top of the $500,000 each school receives from the city, ASU would receive an additional $1 million in 2023 and 2025, years when it is designated as the “home” team, and $300,000 in 2024 and 2026. A&M would receive $100,000 in 2023 (the lesser because the lateness of the agreement does not allow time to raise the additional funds), then $1 million in 2024 and 2026 when it’s the “home” team, and $300,000 in 2025.

On Monday, three days later, an attorney representing A&M sent a cease-and-desist letter to ASC demanding it no longer use the school’s “well-known trademarks” or photos depicting the institution’s mascot or players in any efforts to promote or sell sponsorships to the event.

RELATED: A&M cease-and-desist letter ires public officials, casts ‘doubt” on Magic City Classic.

The letter states the demand “extends to all print and digital advertising materials, social media, and blog posts, tickets, passes, banners, flags, signs, merchandise, and displays of the Marks and Images at public and private events such as at press conferences, parades, tailgate parties, luncheons, pep rallies, sponsorship villages, and pre-game and halftime shows and broadcast.”

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The letter also “further demands that the ASC make available for inspection and auditing all books and records that relate to revenue generated and compensation paid” under a management agreement signed in April between ASC, the City of Birmingham, and Alabama State.

Perren King, VP, Amateur Sports at Eventive, said it responded to the same request last November in an email to A&M attorney Rochelle Conley, which was obtained by ALcom. It contained a Dropbox link to the Classic’s financials for the years 2017 through 2021.

Alabama A&M and Alabama State are scheduled to meet on Saturday, October 28.

This story will be updated.