VALDOSTA — The world saw just a week ago that Valdosta is TitleTown USA, now it’s time to show the world why.
ESPN is in talks with the Valdosta City School Board to come back one more time. This time to telecast live the biggest game in Winnersville.
The sports network, pending school board approval, will televise the Oct. 10 gridiron matchup of Lowndes and Valdosta.
The annual Winnersville Classic football game has been attended by maximum crowds for years, and this year will be stretched even further to a world wide audience.
“On the heels of TitleTown, it’s a great event,” Valdosta coach Rick Tomberlin said. “It would be nice for everybody in the country to see what a great event it is. It’s like a state championship atmosphere, but it might be bigger.”
Although the deal has not officially been inked yet, Tomberlin said he expects the cameras to be rolling Oct. 10.
“They said they wanted to do it, and I’m all for it,” Tomberlin said. “I can’t approve a telecast like that, but I can recommend it. “I’d like to see us do it. I think it would be good for Valdosta City schools and the Lowndes County School System to show everyone in the world what a great game it is.”
Lowndes visits Bazemore-Hyder Stadium to what will be once again a sold-out crowd, with the eyes of Region 1-AAAAA and more than likely, the lenses of cameras directed at the rivalry.
“This year was going to be hotly contested,” Lowndes Superintendent Dr. Steve Smith said. “Now we’re even more excited about that game. It adds a totally different dimension to the game, the fact that it’s televised. It’s already an exciting time, and this adds more excitement.”
The area received countless compliments from ESPN’s crew when they were here filming segments for TitleTown USA on July 9 and 16, which more than likely fueled the desire to come back for the Winnersville Classic.
“I think it was almost inevitable after winning TitleTown,” Dr. Smith said. “ESPN kept asking, ‘how in the world do you get this many people in the stadium and don’t even have a football game.’ I said, ‘you ought to come to a Valdosta-Lowndes game. You would think it’s a big-time college game.”
When the deal goes through it will mark the second time in consecutive weeks the defending Class AAAAA champions, Lowndes will play in a televised game.
When the Vikings host defending Class AAAA champion Northside Warner Robins on Oct. 2 CSTV will be at Martin Stadium.
The CBS Sports Network will broadcast the game regionally as a matchup of what may be two of the best schools in the nation.
“We’re really excited about it,” Dr. Smith said. “Especially that game, having the opportunity to have last year’s AAAAA and AAAA champions face each other.”
Both teams have a good chance of being ranked the No.’s 1 and 2 teams in the state, and having the game televised should only add to the big-game atmosphere.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity for our school and our community,” Lowndes coach Randy McPherson said.
The Lowndes-Northside matchup will be the second game CSTV telecasts from the area, as they will be showing national coverage of VSU vs. Fort Valley’s opening college football game on Aug. 23.
With those three games, along with other regional coverage of VSU, Valdosta will bring its TitleTown and football prowess to a larger market.
“I think those are going to be great for our community,” McPherson said. “Being on national TV, with the TitleTown trophy here, it’s pretty special.”
Local Sports
ESPN wants Winnersville
The network is in talks to televise the Valdosta vs. Lowndes game
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