For Immediate Release
September 06, 2014
Contact Information

Chelsye J. Burrows
770.692.4559
cburrows@UPtv.com

David Gardner
770.692.9939
dgardner@UPtv.com

Kadida Kenner/USEG
704.451.9511
kkenner@urbansportsgroup.net

(BPRW) ASPiRE EXPANDS ITS HBCU FOOTBALL COVERAGE THIS SEASON WITH URBAN SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT GROUP: 11 COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAMES, PLUS THE RETURN OF WEEKLY COLLEGE SPORTS SERIES "INSIDE THE GAME"

- Inaugural Classic "" Alabama State vs. Tennessee State "" Live at Montgomery, AL on Saturday, September 6th at 5 p.m. EDT "¢ 2014 Football Season on ASPiRE Also Includes Live Broadcasts of Three Exclusive Games, the CIAA Football Championship, Plus the Premiere of "HBCU Playback Game of the Week," Hosted by CBS Sports/HLN's Rashan Ali and 2 Live Stews' Doug Stewart "¢ ASPiRE's New Season of "Inside the Game" Kicks Off on Friday, September 11th at 10 p.m. EDT -

(BLACK PR WIRE) – ATLANTA – September 3, 2014 – ASPiRE (@tvASPiRE) is expanding its Historically Black College & University (HBCU) college sports coverage this fall thanks to a new deal with Urban Sports & Entertainment Group (USEG, urbansportsgroup.net) to broadcast a total of 11 live and encore HBCU football games, airing Saturday, September 6th through Saturday, November 15th, announced ASPiRE and Urban Sports & Entertainment Group. Six football games will be live, with three intra-collegiate match-ups exclusive to ASPiRE. The live games include the Inaugural Classic (Alabama State v. Tennessee State), the annual Tuskegee – Morehouse Classic, and the annual CIAA Championship Game. The schedule also features at least two appearances by the CIAA’s Winston-Salem State University Rams and five best-of black college football games under the banner “HBCU Playback Game of the Week,” which are hosted by Rashan Ali (@RashanAli, CBS Sports commentator, “Weekend Express”) and Doug Stewart (@2livestews, “2 Live Stews,” ESPN commentator).

These games and more will be featured during the all-new season of the weekly black college sports series “Inside the Game” (aspire.tv/shows/inside-the-game), hosted by ESPN host/analyst/producer Stan Lewter (@slewter13). Produced by Urban Sports & Entertainment Group, “Inside the Game” returns on Friday, September 11 at 10 p.m. EDT.

“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.”

“We are proud to have the opportunity to partner with ASPiRE for a second season by adding more live HBCU programming for their viewers,” said Thomas Grabowski, President/CEO, Urban Sports & Entertainment Group. “ASPiRE is committed to relevant and engaging content that genuinely serves the community and we are delighted to be part of their team.”

The football games to be broadcast on ASPiRE are:

Game #1: September 6th, Alabama State vs. Tennessee State (Inaugural Classic), Montgomery, AL – 5:00 p.m. EDT (exclusive)

Game #2: September 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

Game #3: September 20th, Winston-Salem vs. Tuskegee, Winston-Salem, NC - 6:00 p.m. EDT (exclusive)

Game #4: September 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

Game #5 – October 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

Game #6 – October 11th, Tuskegee vs. Morehouse (Classic), Columbus, GA – 5:00 p.m. EDT (exclusive)

Game #7 – October 18th, Winston-Salem vs. St. Augustine (Homecoming) – 1:30 p.m. EDT

Game #8 – October 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

Game #9 – November 1st, HBCU Playback Game of the Week – 1994 Hampton University vs. Norfolk State – 1:30 EDT – Hosted by Rashan Ali and Doug Stewart

Game #10 – November 8th, Virginia Union vs. Virginia State – 1:30 p.m. EST

Game #11 – November 15th, CIAA Championship Game – 1:30 p.m. EST

Produced by USEG, “Inside the Game” is the nation’s longest-running sports highlights show devoted exclusively to black college sports. Hosted by ESPN analyst Stan Lewter, the weekly series provides viewers with football and basketball highlights, interviews and features from Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) institutions around the country. Now in its 20th year, the show is the source for up-to-date black college sports highlights, tailgating, cheerleaders, bands, player profiles and HBCU legends from Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and independent schools.

About Urban Sports & Entertainment Group (USEG)

Founded in 2001 by Thomas Grabowski, Urban Sports & Entertainment Group (USEG) is a multi-cultural sports marketing firm located just north of Charlotte, NC. Specializing in television production, event execution, sponsorship acquisition and sponsorship activation, Urban Sport’s team of professionals provide clients with the ultimate brand and event experience. With marquee events including the Football Championship and Basketball Tournament for both the CIAA and SWAC conferences, the Honda Battle of the Bands, and programming including live CIAA game broadcasts and the weekly HBCU sport’s highlight show Inside the Game, Urban Sports & Entertainment Group is the Name Behind the Game.

About ASPiRE
ASPiRE is a television network that celebrates the groundbreaking achievements of African-Americans. ASPiRE offers a diverse programming mix of movies, series and specials featuring music, comedy, drama, faith/inspiration, theater/performing arts, lifestyle and news/information. The network was launched on June 27, 2012 by Magic Johnson Enterprises, which acts as a catalyst for driving unparalleled business results for its partners and fosters community/economic empowerment by making available high-quality entertainment, products and services that answer the demands of ethnically diverse urban communities. ASPiRE is available in about 21 million homes in 21 of the top 25 African-American markets including New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and Washington, D.C.. For more information, visit www.aspire.tv, facebook.com/aspireTV and on Twitter @tvASPiRE.

About Magic Johnson Enterprises
Magic Johnson Enterprises acts as a catalyst for driving unparalleled business results for its partners and fosters community/economic empowerment by making available high-quality entertainment, products and services that answer the demands of ethnically diverse urban communities. For more information, visit http://magicjohnson.com/enterprises.