Salem Stadium will be the site of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football championship game this Saturday. The Fayetteville State University Broncos will take on the Virginia State University Trojans for the CIAA championship, with kickoff scheduled for 4:30 pm.
This will be the second consecutive season Salem will host the event. This year the Broncos are the champions of the CIAA’s Southern Division and Virginia State is the Northern Division champ.
“As we continue celebrating the 125th anniversary of Black college football, our conference looks forward to once again hosting the annual football championship game in Salem, Virginia,” said Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams. “We invite our students, alumni, and fans, as well as the Roanoke area community, to join us for a college football experience like none other–complete with fun for the family at our Fan Zone and on the gridiron.“
Prior to kickoff, the conference will host a Fan Zone on the Taliaferro Complex grounds from 11 am to 3 pm, with giveaways from corporate sponsors and the CIAA, contests for prizes, interactive activities, food tastings, appearances from the cheerleading squads, drumlines from the competing schools, and more. Parking and tailgating are free, and fans are welcome to begin tailgating at 10 am.
A Coca-Cola/Food Lion Tailgate Cook-Off Competition will be held at 12:30 pm in the parking lot of Salem Stadium. Winners will be determined for the following categories: Best Chicken, Best Burger, Best Rib and Cook-Off Tailgater of the Year (Grand prize winner). Category winners will receive prize packs, including a handheld grill and the Grand Prize winner will receive a $250 Food Lion gift card, Coca Cola stainless steel tailgate cooler and other prizes. Visit goo.gl/ZrWwu9 (case sensitive) to sign-up. Registration is free and open to the public.
Attendees will have an opportunity to win a Toyota automobile, valued up to $40,000, during this year’s football championship. Sign-up for the Toyota Football Toss will take place at the Fan Zone. Contest rules and details can be found at goo.gl/Sf3yDM (case sensitive).
Fans who are unable to attend the Football Championship can tune in nationally to catch all the game day action on ASPiRE TV. Check your local cable listings for availability.
During the championship weekend, the CIAA will host an Education Day for over 280 middle and high school students. Also, coaches and players from both FSU and VSU will volunteer at local elementary schools. These events are part of the #CIAASupports initiative, an ongoing demonstration of the conference’s commitment to community service, and are closed to the public.
Tickets for Saturday’s game can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com and typing CIAA Football Championship in the search bar. Prices start at $15 for general admission and special rates for students and youth ages 6 to 14 are available. Admission for children ages 5 and under is free. On game day, attendees who present five non-perishable food items will receive $5 off their general admission or reserved seating ticket.
