Athletics

Today’s game in Atlanta marks the start of Football Bowl Subdivision play for the Charlotte 49ers. The team is taking on the Georgia State Panthers at the Georgia Dome; the game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. in front of a national television audience on ESPNU.

“We’ve had a lot of firsts in starting this program, but this is probably the biggest,” said head coach Brad Lambert. “In my humble opinion, this is the greatest time of the year. The boys are all are getting ready to take the field. It doesn’t get any better than what we are getting ready to embark on.”

The Hunter and Stephanie Edwards Promenade, which houses the University, coaches and media boxes and broadcast booths at Jerry Richardson Stadium, honors a generous contribution from a pair of proud UNC Charlotte alumni.

“This is a major commitment from this couple, and it will have a major impact,” said Chancellor Philip L. Dubois. “To achieve our goals (in football), we knew we would need the support of generous donors. It is especially meaningful today that the two individuals we are honoring are both graduates of this institution.”

The Charlotte 49ers football game against Temple University scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2, in Richardson Stadium, will be televised, and University leaders anticipate a large crowd for this event. Traffic is expected to increase significantly in the early afternoon as thousands of fans arrive for the game.

The University will observe the following plan for the Oct. 2 game day:

CLASSES AND LABS

Classes are not canceled when the University is required to host weekday football games.

The Charlotte 49ers and UNC Charlotte Cable Television are partnering to broadcast 10 fall sporting events that will reach 500,000-plus subscribers to Time Warner Cable and AT&T UVerse in the Charlotte region.

Men’s soccer will have four home matches broadcast; while women’s soccer and volleyball will each have three.

On campus and in Mecklenburg, Union and Iredell counties, these broadcasts will be on Time Warner Cable Channel 22.

The “49ers Uptown Live,” the official coaches’ show, will again broadcast from Blackfinn Ameripub, located in the Epicentre in Uptown Charlotte.  The first show of the 2015-16 school year will be at 7 p.m., Monday, Aug. 31.

Hosted by Matt Swierad, “49ers Uptown Live” will feature weekly appearances by head football coach Brad Lambert or men’s head basketball coach Mark Price, along with guest appearances by other coaches, players and Athletic Department officials.  Swierad is the voice of the 49ers for football and basketball.

Single game tickets for the Charlotte 49ers inaugural season of FBS and Conference USA football now are on sale. 

Charlotte 49ers offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Phil Ratliff is being remembered not only for his “loving spirit” but “the spectacular impact he made on others and his positive outlook on life.” He passed away, Sunday, Aug. 9.

Ratliff, who was entering his fourth season with the 49ers, joined the program in January 2012, as Charlotte welcomed its first recruiting class. He was on the sidelines for the Charlotte 49ers in 2013 and 2014 and helped the 49ers prepare for the 2015 season as the team makes its debut in the FBS as a member of Conference USA.

Charlotte 49ers football will make the move to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) this fall as the team enters Conference USA competition. Fans can be part of the game-day atmosphere at Richardson Stadium as a host of ticket options are being offered.

The Charlotte 49ers will make their debut on the FBS level in front of a nationally-televised audience. Charlotte, which will make its move to the FBS as a member of Conference USA this fall, will have its season-opener at Georgia State broadcast on ESPNU.

“This is another great step for our program,” said 49ers head coach Brad Lambert. ”We’re excited to have our first game in the FBS on national television. This works out great for Niner Nation—for those who will make the trip to Atlanta and those who will catch us on ESPNU.”

The Charlotte 49ers will have three of its home games broadcast on the FOX and CBS family of networks, according to the preliminary Conference USA TV package, released recently.

The 49ers non-conference home game vs. Temple, Friday, Oct. 2, will be broadcast at 7 p.m. on the CBS Sports Network.  In addition, the 49ers home games vs. Marshall (Sat., Oct. 31) and UTSA (Sat., Nov. 14) will be broadcast on FOX network (to be determined).  Game times and networks for those games will be released 12 days prior to the game date.