SportsCenter TitleTown USA Visits Valdosta July 9

Join the Blazers at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 9, in Bazemore-Hyder Stadium when ESPN’s flagship show, SportsCenter, visits Valdosta and the city is featured as a part of ESPN’s search for TitleTown, USA. Valdosta is one of 20 finalists for the label of TitleTown and the ESPN cameras will tape on July 9 for a July 16 broadcast.

Everyone in the Valdosta community is invited to tailgate around Bazemore-Hyder Stadium and Drexel Park starting at 3:30 p.m. July 9. Community members are encouraged to participate in the tailgate and to be inside the stadium by 5 p.m. for a pep rally.

Valdosta State will use the American Legion parking lot across Williams Street from Bazemore-Hyder Stadium as its tailgate headquarters and in the stadium, Section E will be reserved for Valdosta State fans. Valdosta State asks all fans to please wear RED for the broadcast.

Section C of the stadium will feature seating for Lowndes fans, while Section D will be for Valdosta High fans. Seating in VSU’s section is on a first-come, first-served basis. Once seating in the Valdosta State section is full, the rest of the stadium’s seating is available on a first-come, first serve base as well. Parking will be available at the Valdosta Board of Education lot along Ann Street as well as in front of the University Center.

The ESPN cameras and lights will start at 6 p.m. with ESPN NFL reporter Wendy Nix reporting on Valdosta and its nomination to TitleTown, USA. NFL linebacker Randall Godfrey, a Lowndes High School alum and former University of Georgia football player, who is currently a free agent, will be interviewed by Nix while VSU’s 2007 National Championship trophy and Lowndes’ 2007 State Championship trophy will be displayed on the SportsCenter anchor desk.

In case of rain, the Valdosta State P.E. Complex will be used as the rain-site. Valdosta will be featured on the 6 p.m. broadcast of SportsCenter Wednesday, July 16. As a lead-up to the Valdosta broadcast, ESPN Classic will air the Valdosta State vs. Pittsburg State 2004 National Championship game from 2-4 p.m. and the 2007 Valdosta State vs. Northwest Missouri State National Championship contest from 4-6 p.m.