Aspire will team with Urban Sports & Entertainment Group to televise 11 live and encore Historically Black College & University (HBCU) college football games beginning this Saturday.
The Magic Johnson-founded network will carry six live HBCU college football games, including the Sept. 6 Inaugural Classic game between Alabama State and Tennessee State; the Oct. 11 Tuskegee/Morehouse contest, and the Nov. 15 CIAA Championship Game, said network officials.
The schedule also features at least two appearances by the CIAA’s Winston-Salem State University Rams as well as five best-of black college football games under the banner HBCU Playback Game of the Week hosted by commentators Rashan Ali and Doug Stewart.
“We are proud to bring Historically Black College & University (HBCU) college football back to Aspire with an expanded schedule of highly-anticipated, key match-ups,” said Paul Butler, general manager, Aspire. “We’re excited to work with Urban Sports & Entertainment Group again and to welcome sports commentators Rashan Ali and Doug Stewart to the Aspire family.”
Aspire’s HBCU College Football telecast schedule is as follows:
Sept. 6th -- Alabama State vs. Tennessee State (Inaugural Classic), Montgomery, AL – 5:00 p.m. EDT (exclusive)
Sept. 13th -- HBCU Playback Game of the Week – 1999 Gold Coast Classic: Grambling State vs. Winston-Salem – 6:00 p.m. EDT – Hosted by Rashan Ali and Doug Stewart
Sept. 20th-- Winston-Salem vs. Tuskegee, Winston-Salem, NC - 6:00 p.m. EDT (exclusive)
Sept. 27th HBCU Playback Game of the Week – 2007 CIAA Football Championship: Shaw University vs. Virginia Union –6:00 p.m. EDT – Hosted by Rashan Ali and Doug Stewart
Oct. 4th--HBCU Playback Game of the Week – 2002 Tuskegee Morehouse Classic: Tuskegee vs. Morehouse – 6:00 p.m. EDT – Hosted by Rashan Ali and Doug Stewart
Oct. 11th--Tuskegee vs. Morehouse (Classic), Columbus, GA – 5:00 p.m. EDT (exclusive)
Oct. 18th--Winston-Salem vs. St. Augustine (Homecoming) – 1:30 p.m. EDT
Oct. 25th--HBCU Playback Game of the Week – 1997 Carolina Classic: NC Central vs. Winston-Salem – 1:30 pm EDT – Hosted by Rashan Ali and Doug Stewart
Nov. 1st— HBCU Playback Game of the Week – 1994 Hampton University vs. Norfolk State – 1:30 EDT – Hosted by Rashan Ali and Doug Stewart
November 8th--Virginia Union vs. Virginia State – 1:30 p.m. EST
November 15th—CIAA Championship Game
