Aspire Network to Air 11 Weeks of HBCU Football Games
A Benedict fan dances with the Tiger Saturday evening at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium during the game against Livingstone College. Photo credit: Sean Rayford Special to the State.
Historically Black College & University (HBCU) college football returns to kickoff on ASPiRE (@tvASPiRE)with the live broadcast of the first of 11 scheduled and encore HBCU football games, airing Saturday, September 5th through Saturday, November 14th, announced ASPiRE.
Five regular season games will be live, with three intra-collegiate match-ups exclusive to ASPiRE.
The live games include the Palmetto Capital City Classic (Livingstone @ Benedict, exclusive), the annual Tuskegee – Morehouse Classic (exclusive), Virginia State University Homecoming – (Bowie State University v. Virginia State University), the WSSU Homecoming – Shaw University @ Winston-Salem State University, the Fountain City Classic (Fort Valley State v. Albany State, exclusive) and the annual CIAA Championship Game.
The SIAC Championship Game is also exclusive to the network.
The schedule also features the five best-of Black college football games under the banner “HBCU Playback Game of the Week” which are hosted by CBS Sports Commentator Rashan Ali (@RashanAli) and ESPN commentator Doug Stewart(@2livestews) and produced by Urban Sports & Entertainment Group (USEG,urbansportsgroup.net).
In addition, the network announced that it will broadcast 12 HBCU basketball games, including 11 CIAA men’s matchups and the CIAA Women’s Basketball Championship game, beginning in January 2016, exclusively on ASPiRE.
“ASPiRE is extremely pleased and honored to bring viewers the play-by-play action of a new exciting season of Historically Black College & University football.
We are grateful to work with our partners Urban Sports & Entertainment Group and to welcome back sports commentators Rashan Ali and Doug Stewart. Moreover we are extremely pleased to support our young student athletes as they showcase their exceptional skills on the court in a series of exciting matchups and defining college games,” said Tina Thompson, director, programming, ASPiRE.
The HBCU football games to be broadcast on ASPiRE are:
SEPTEMBER
- September 5th at 5:00 p.m. EST – SIAC Livingstone @ Benedict (Palmetto Capital City Classic), in Columbia, SC (exclusive and live)
- September 12th at 2:00 p.m. EST – 2000 Playback VSU vs Norfolk State University (Labor Day Classic)
- September 19th at 2:00 p.m. EST – 2004 Playback Shaw University vs. Tuskegee (Pioneer Bowl)
- September 26th at 2:00 p.m. EST– 1999 Playback Howard vs. SC State (HU Homecoming)
OCTOBER
- October 3rd at 2:00 p.m. EST – 2002 Playback KSU vs. Lane College (KSU Homecoming)
- October 10th at 6:00 p.m. EST – SIAC Tuskegee vs. Morehouse (TU-MHC Classic) in Columbus, GA (exclusive and live)
- October 17th at 2:00 p.m. EST – CIAA Bowie State University @ Virginia State University in Ettrick, VA (live)
- October 24th at 2:00 p.m. EST – 2005 Playback North Carolina Central University vs. Bowie State University (CIAA Championship)
- October 31th at 2:00 p.m. EST – CIAA Shaw University @ Winston-Salem State University (WSSU Homecoming) in Winston-Salem, NC (live)
NOVEMBER
- November 7th at 2:00 p.m. EST – SIAC Fort Valley State vs. Albany State (Fountain City Classic) in Columbus, GA (exclusive and live)
- November14th at 2:00 p.m. EST – CIAA Championship Game in Raleigh, NC (exclusive and live)
- November 14th at 7:00 p.m. EST – SIAC Championship Game in Montgomery, AL (exclusive and live)