WSSU wants to bring Division II football title game to city

BOWMAN-GRAY STADIUM
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.
Photo Courtesy NASCAR

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Athletics Director Bill Hayes of Winston-Salem State sees no reason why Winston-Salem can’t play host to the NCAA Division II football championship game. Hayes has started conversations with Visit Winston-Salem — the convention and visitors bureau for the city and Forsyth County — about going after the game.

“I think with the community behind it and the facilities at Bowman Gray Stadium, we could do a bang-up job,” Hayes said.

Hayes saw firsthand the outstanding job Florence, Ala., did as the championship-game host in December, when WSSU lost to Valdosta State in its first title-game appearance. It was the 27th year that the University of North Alabama was the host institution, but Hayes said that with North Alabama considering a move to Division I, the game most likely will move.

According to a report in the Florence TimesDaily, next season’s game will be in Florence, but the NCAA will be taking bids this year for 2014 and beyond.

Cameron Schuh, who works for the NCAA in public relations, said in an email that bids will be accepted this summer and that with future title-game sites will be announced in the fall.

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