C Spire Pigskins in the Park Set for Saturday, October 22

Ole Miss and Mississippi State SEC football road games will be broadcast live on a giant-sized jumbotron in front of Tupelo City Hall in Fairpark

Tupelo, Miss.(September 20, 2016) - Ole Miss and Mississippi State, two of the Magnolia State’s largest and most popular college football teams, will be going on the road to play important SEC league games next month against LSU and Kentucky.

Fans in north Mississippi who don’t make the road trip will still be able to cheer on their teams and watch the live games on a giant-sized jumbotron screen at “C Spire Pigskins in the Park” on Saturday, Oct. 22, in front of Tupelo City Hall in Fairpark. Fans are encouraged to stage tailgate parties as part of the annual event, which has become a popular watch party for both Ole Miss and Mississippi State alumni in north Mississippi.

The live broadcast of the Ole Miss Rebels road game in Baton Rouge, La., against the LSU Tigers and the Mississippi State Bulldogs trip to Lexington, Ky., to play the Kentucky Wildcats is title sponsored by C Spire in partnership with the City of Tupelo, the Tupelo Quality of Life Committee, Mitchell Distributing, Coca-Cola and Miss 98. Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association (DTMSA) is the organizer of the event and will receive the sponsorship proceeds.

The games will be shown on a giant 22’ x 33’ jumbotron screen, which is elevated 16’ from the ground bringing the total height to more than six stories with high-resolution HD images for both daylight and night-time viewing. Once game times are announced by the schools, DTMSA will announce tailgate set-up times. The event is free and open to the public.

“This is shaping up to be the ultimate tailgate party in North Mississippi,” said Jim Richmond, vice president of Corporate Communications for C Spire. “We know how passionate fans are about college football and their schools. So whether you’re screaming Hotty Toddy or ringing your cowbell in Fairpark, we’re proud to be a part of making this community event possible. It’s fun and entertaining for the whole family.”

“C Spire Pigskins in the Park is another one of our unique events to downtown Tupelo,” added Debbie Brangenberg, director of the Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association. “Every year people enjoy the atmosphere of this event while showcasing their passion for SEC football and their favorite schools. We are happy to bring people together to cheer and support their teams while enjoying this quality of life event in downtown Tupelo.”

C Spire Pigskins in the Park activities will include:

• SuperTalk Mississippi’s “Head to Head” statewide sports talk radio show with Matt Wyatt and Richard Cross will be broadcast live from the C Spire retail store on West Main in Tupelo on Thursday, Oct. 20, from 3 to 6 p.m.
• C Spire will sponsor a “Show Your True Colors” tailgate contest for the most elaborate tent décor with costumes for Ole Miss and Mississippi State fans. The top winner for each university will receive an iPad Pro. Winners will be announced from the stage during halftime for each game.
• Bean toss games, a photo booth and other giveaways will be set up for fans to enjoy. Fans can take home printed photos and also post pictures to social media from the photo booth where there will be fun photo props.

Food and beverages will be available for purchase from various downtown Tupelo food vendors and businesses during the games. No alcoholic beverages other than those sold on site will be allowed at the event. Beer will be sold to individuals 21 and older. Fans are allowed to bring lawn chairs, tents and tailgating items, but personal grills and coolers are not allowed.

For more details, visit www.tupelomainstreet.com.

About C Spire: C Spire is a diversified telecommunications and technology services company that provides premium experiences designed specifically for its customers, including wireless communications, high-speed Internet access and a range of other telecommunications products and services to consumers and businesses. This news release and other announcements are available at www.cspire.com/news. For more information about C Spire, visit www.cspire.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cspire or Twitter at www.twitter.com/cspire.

About Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association: The Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association (DTMSA) is a membership-based organization focused on sustaining and enhancing the downtown experience. For more details, contact DTMSA at 662.841.6598 or go to www.tupelomainstreet.com.