TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — July 1st was a day of celebration at Florida A&M for NIL, as the Rattlers were officially welcomed to the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
A press conference kicked off the day and a pep rally at Cascades park wrapped things up. As much as the Rattlers are ready for the move to the SWAC, the move is celebrated by the Conference too. SWAC commissioner Charles McClelland noted Thursday they're stronger with the addition of FAMU, and everyone is excited for what's to come.
"When you look at the collaborative effort of our twelve member institutions and the economic impact that we bring, it is significant," said McClelland. "You talked about Power 5 of HBCU's, we are the largest HBCU conference with the most iconic brands. You have an opportunity now to really expand that."
"We talk about the opportunities that come along with this conference and the long term vision for this conference, it's really off the charts," said athletic director Kortne Gosha. "We're just glad to play in that sandbox. Here in the state of Florida, for all HBCUs, all institutions across the country, we want Florida A&M to be the blueprint. Period."
