Chick-fil-A Suits Up With ESPN's College GameDay for 2008 Season

PRNewswire/ -- Chick-fil-A is further increasing its association with college football in 2008 by becoming the newest integrated sponsor of ESPN's top-rated College GameDay Built by the Home Depot.

The key component of its involvement with the show is entitled "Mascot Movers" and will focus on the climactic moment at the conclusion of each College GameDay telecast when analyst Lee Corso predicts the winning team by donning the mascot head of his favored university. ESPN event staff in special College GameDay and Chick-fil-A co-branded uniforms will escort the crate carrying the mascot head to the set prior to Corso's announcement.

The agreement includes Chick-fil-A television commercials in each show plus a live camera shot of a Chick-fil-A "fan interaction area" on each campus at the College GameDay set just before the predictions are made by host Chris Fowler and analysts Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard.

College football fans will also have the opportunity to log on to ESPN.com (search: Chick-fil-A) and access a custom "Mascot Movers" website where they can make their weekly predictions on what Mascot is in the box and enter their picks on key College GameDay match-ups to be played during the weekend. Each week, ESPN and Chick-fil-A will award one lucky winner a VIP trip to the 2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl on December 31st in Atlanta and free Chick-fil-A food for a year.

College GameDay's inaugural show for 2008 will be televised from Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta on Saturday, August 30 for the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff Game between Alabama and Clemson.

As Chick-fil-A continues to strengthen its brand presence nationally, the restaurant chain anticipates the association with College GameDay will be a strong complement to the chain's college-level sponsorship portfolio.

"This new relationship with ESPN provides us with an on-going presence throughout the entire college football season," said Steve Robinson, senior vice president of marketing for Chick-fil-A. "We will begin the season with the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff featuring a tremendous match-up, and we will finish with the Chick-fil-A Bowl, on ESPN. We anticipate unique opportunities throughout the season to interact and share Chick-fil-A with college football fans throughout the country as College GameDay shows up at some of the biggest and most exciting games to be played this year."

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Valdosta is TitleTown USA

GFP Note: Kudos to Valdosta and to Valdosta State!

Ballots were cast, votes are in and ESPN announced to the nation that Valdosta is TitleTown USA during the July 28 "SportsCenter" broadcast.

Local officials received word on Saturday that ESPN reporter Wendi Nix and production crew would return to Winnersville to film a segment for the broadcast. Jessie Tuggle, VSU alumnus and former linebacker with the Atlanta Falcons, accepted the TitleTown USA trophy on behalf of the entire community. Lt. Governor Casey Cagle was on site to congratulate the city and a crowd of many fans, all dressed in the colors supporting their favorite schools, cheered as ESPN presented the honor.

The award comes after the July 16 "SportsCenter" broadcast, which featured Winnersville as a finalist and showcased thousands of local sports fans displaying the unity and spirit that won the title. Local legend Randall Godfrey made his case for why Valdosta could stand proudly as a finalist beside major cities like Chicago, Detroit and San Francisco, as well as why the southern powerhouse deserved the title. After the nation witnessed Valdosta's attributes and spirit, votes were cast, setting Valdosta above the rest.

SportsCenter TitleTown USA Visits Valdosta July 9

Join the Blazers at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium on Wednesday, July 9, when ESPN’s flagship show, SportsCenter, visits Valdosta as 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 while 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 5 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.