The Capital Classic, for 31 years one of the nation's premier high school all-star basketball events, is facing an uncertain future after the Jordan brand, the event's chief backer the past three years, announced yesterday it is no longer sponsoring the event in the Washington area. The company, a division of Nike, instead will sponsor a similar event at New York's Madison Square Garden on April 16.
Bob Geoghan, the president of Sports America Inc. and founder of the Capital Classic, admitted his event may be in trouble but vowed that it would go on this season.
"I would never let the Capital Classic die," Geoghan said last night, adding that no date has been set for the event. "Hopefully, I'll have an answer [regarding its future] by this time next week. I'm committed to the fans and the coaches and everyone who has supported this game for such a long time."
Geoghan said the Capital Classic, usually played in mid- to late April, is searching for a new title sponsor, and Geoghan acknowledged that it might be too late to line one up. Geoghan also said the game might face a difficult time attracting the nation's top talent with the Jordan game entering the mix.
The cachet of the Jordan brand name, created when Nike gave Michael Jordan his own division with the apparel company, helped the D.C. event attract top players for the past three years. Jordan took over sponsorship -- calling the event the Jordan Capital Classic -- when he was a player with the Washington Wizards, and helped bring Nike and the Capital Classic together.
A Nike spokesperson did not return calls seeking comment.
During Nike's sponsorship of the Capital Classic, the game featured current NBA stars LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, Dwight Howard, and NCAA standouts Chris Paul (Wake Forest), Rashad McCants (North Carolina), Sean May (North Carolina), John Gilchrist (Maryland), Dee Brown (Illinois), J.J. Redick (Duke) and J.R. Giddens (Kansas).
The Capital Classic's format also was changed, to a doubleheader with a regional game, featuring the Washington area's top players, and a national game, featuring 24 of the country's best. It was played at MCI Center in 2002 and 2003 but was moved to University of Maryland's Comcast Center in 2004.
Jordan left the Wizards in May 2003, after a parting with team owner Abe Pollin.
The Capital Classic's contract with Nike expired after last year's game.
Geoghan said he had an "inkling" a few months ago that Nike wanted to explore another market and was later approached by Nike officials about moving the Classic to New York. Geoghan said he declined their offer and instead suggested that the Jordan brand create its own all-star game.
Jordan was in New York to announce Nike's new game, renamed the Jordan Classic. The game joins a handful of other major all-star games, including the McDonald's All-American Game in South Bend, Ind., the Roundball Classic in Chicago and the Adidas game in Louisville.
High school seniors are allowed to play in two games and remain eligible under NCAA rules. With the all-star landscape growing so crowded, talent will be scarce.
Geoghan's company, Sports America Inc., runs the McDonald's game and will manage the Jordan Classic in New York.
"We're still going to go after the top guys because I think there's enough good players out there," Geoghan said.
What all this means for the Capital Classic remains to be seen.
The game may return to its original format -- U.S. All-Stars vs. Capital All-Stars in the main event, to be preceded by a local game between District All-Stars vs. Suburban All-Stars. Geoghan also said he has contacted MCI Center about possibly hosting the game the Capital Classic there in April.
"We're in the preliminary phase of deciding the future of the Capital Classic," Sports America spokesman Kevin Foley said last night. "We're weighing everything about the event. Washington D.C. is a great city for high school basketball, so we want to do what everything we can to continue the tradition of the Capital Classic."
