ABOUT THE MEAC/SWAC CHALLENGE
Q: What is the MEAC/SWAC Challenge?
A: The MEAC/SWAC Challenge is an annual Historically Black College football game showcasing a team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The game is played annually at a neutral site. The MEAC/SWAC Challenge is an ESPN Regional TV (ERT) owned and operated event.
Q: How long has the MEAC/SWAC Challenge been in existence?
A: Six years. Alabama’s Legion Field hosted the event the first three years before it was moved to the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, in 2008.
Q: Which teams played in 2009?
A: South Carolina State of the MEAC and Grambling State of SWAC battled on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD and ESPN360.com from the Citrus Bowl, Orlando, FL. South Carolina State beat Grambling State 34-31
Q: Why the Florida Citrus Bowl?
A: Orlando is a wonderful travel destination and the Citrus Bowl is a great sports venue-with many activities our fans can enjoy.
Q: Which teams played in the first five years of this event—and which conference leads the series?
A: In 2009 South Carolina State beat Grambling State 34-31; in 2008 Hampton University outlasted Jackson State 17-13; in 2007 Southern defeated Florida A&M 33-27; in 2006 Hampton defeated Grambling State 27-26 in OT; and in 2005 South Carolina State defeated Alabama State 27-14.
The MEAC leads the series 4 games to 1.
Q: What is ESPN Regional Television?
A: ESPN Regional Television (ERT) is the nation’s largest syndicator of collegiate sports programming. ERT produces more than 900 sporting events annually, including football, basketball, NCAA events, golf and NHRA events, which accounts for more than 2,200 live and/or original hours of programming. In addition to event ownership, ERT is the production headquarters for ESPNU, the 24-hour college sports network; syndication rightsholder and producer of national, regional and local shows for college conferences. The company also markets and/or owns several sporting events, including collegiate football events: the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg; Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (Fort Worth, Texas); MAACO Bowl Las Vegas; New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque); Papajohns.com Bowl (Birmingham, Ala.); Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl (Honolulu); Texas Bowl (Houston); the MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney (Orlando, Fla.); and The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards.
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For more information on ERT’s owned and operated events, visit www.espnplus.com.
For more on the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, contact the following individuals:
ESPN: Jenny Zimmerman; 407-566-2213; Jennifer.J.Zimmerman@espn.com
MEAC: Patricia Porter; 757-416-7116; porterp@themeac.com
SWAC: Duane Lewis; 205-251-7573 X111 | d.lewis@swac.org
