Engagement with Deacon Nation: Exciting Events, Plans Await Wake Forest Students, Staff & Winston-Salem Community

2020 Schedule | DVST Registration | Get Your Demon Deaclone

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – With ESPN College GameDay built by the Home Depot headed to Winston-Salem for the Deacs season opener against No. 1 Clemson on Saturday, Sept. 12, Athletics and University leadership have created many unique opportunities to engage with Wake Forest students, staff and the entire Winston-Salem and Triad communities.

The show will originate live from Truist Field with its iconic set sitting on the 50-yard line with background views of the Bob McCreary Videoboard honoring the Class of 1961 and Deacon Hill. College GameDay will air on ESPN from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

In accordance with NC Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 Phase 2.5 guidance, fans will not be permitted to attend the show; tailgating or parking in any lots off of Deacon Blvd, including Lawrence Joel Veteran's Memorial Coliseum, is prohibited. However, Wake Forest is committed to providing The Best Fan Experience in North Carolina and has created the following unique opportunities for fans to be involved and experience the show.

Friday Night Virtual Pep Rally
Wake Forest students, faculty and staff are invited to kick off this historic weekend in Winston-Salem with a "watch wherever you are" virtual pep rally at 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11. This event will feature performances from the Spirit of the Old Gold & Black and all Wake Forest Spirit Groups. Additionally, fans will hear special messages from Wake Forest Director of Athletics John Currie, Coach Dave Clawson, student-athletes on the Deacs football team and members of ESPN's College GameDay crew.

The virtual event will conclude with a live firework display over Wake Forest's Reynolda Campus and music that will stream live over live broadcast. The link to access the virtual event will be posted in the Screamin' Demon Rewards App, or on Twitter at @ScrDemonRewards.

Skyline Light Viewing
To commemorate College GameDay's first-ever visit to Winston-Salem, the downtown skyline will light up in gold and the iconic buildings will uniquely welcome the traveling show to town on Friday night. The optimal viewing location for this display will be from Bailey Park in Innovation Quarter.

Truist Drive-In
Wake Forest has partnered with Truist to create a one-of-a-kind watch party for College GameDay Built by the Home Depot on Saturday morning, which will air live on ESPN as a part of the show's broadcast. This unique experience will be located at the Drive at Winston-Salem Fairgrounds on Deacon Blvd. near Truist Field and will be exclusive to Wake Forest students, faculty, staff, season ticket holders, Deacon Virtual Ticket Holders and Deacon Club members.

There will be limited spaces for this experience and advance registration is required. Student capacity will be limited to 175 vehicles, with a maximum of four persons per vehicle.

To register to attend, students should download the Screamin' Demon Rewards App and enter the College GameDay Truist Drive-In lottery. Once a student has entered, they will be able to invite up to three other students to join them for their entry. Upon acceptance of the invite, everyone will be linked together for entry into the lottery.

The lottery will open at Noon on Tuesday, Sept. 8 and will close at Noon on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Students will be notified through their SDR app on the afternoon of Sept. 9, once the random lottery drawing has been completed.

A limited number of vehicles will be available for students who do not have a vehicle in Winston-Salem and would like to attend the event. Those students should enter the lottery and contact rewards@wfu.edu to notify them of their desire to use one of the available vehicles.

An additional set of 175 parking spaces will be available for Deacon Club members, season ticket holders, Deacon Virtual Season Ticket Holders, Wake Forest faculty and staff, and Demon Deacon fans living in the Winston-Salem area. Those wishing to attend should fill out this form to express their interest. A follow up email with next steps will be sent later this week.

While entry into the Truist Drive-In will be determined and awarded in advance, vehicles will not be able to select specific parking spaces at the venue. Those will be allocated first-come, first-served on Saturday morning as cars enter the fairgrounds. The lot will open for entry beginning at 7 a.m. for the 9 a.m. broadcast. All participants who have been awarded a ticket to the event should enter the fairgrounds off Shorefair Drive on Saturday morning.

All participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs to sit outside of their vehicles, within their assigned parking space, to enjoy the show. The audio broadcast will be streamed through a dedicated FM radio station, so fans are encouraged to bring an FM radio player to listen to the broadcast from their parking space. Neither cell phones or computers will be able to access the audio feed at the site.

Those attending will be required to decorate their cars to proudly display their Wake Forest pride on ESPN and social media using #WFGameday. Live cameras will show the crowd throughout the show.

#WFGameDay Video Wall
Fans are encouraged to tweet on Saturday morning using the hashtag #WFGameDay in order to see their photo populated on the Truist Field video board located behind the College GameDay set. Photos using that hashtag will be monitored by Wake Forest Athletics staff members and will rotate throughout the broadcast on the stadium's video board.

Free College GameDay T-Shirts for Students
An exclusive co-branded Wake Forest-College GameDay t-shirt will be available to Wake Forest students on a first-come, first-serve basis beginning Wednesday, Sept. 10. More information will be sent out this week to students with specific details on how to claim their free t-shirt.

Students are encouraged to wear this shirt to celebrate Wake Forest Friday on Friday. Tag and tweet a photo wearing the t-shirt using #WFFriday for a chance to win exclusive prizes.

Student Residence Hall Sign Contest
Students living on campus are working with their Resident Advisors to create poster board signs to hang in their residence halls this week. With the goal of creating school spirit and showing the Deacs football student-athletes additional support, students on the floor with the best sign will receive Demon Deaclone cutouts at Truist Field as well as a premier spot for an On-Campus Watch Party.

Student On-Campus Watch Parties
Wake Forest will be hosting additional on-campus watch parties for first year residence hall students on Saturday night when the Deacs host Clemson at Truist Field, with live cameras capturing video footage for the ABC broadcast. These watch parties will be limited to 25 students each and will be available at various tents across campus.

First year students will receive an email later this week with information on how to register to participate in these on-campus watch parties.

Submit Your Sign
Interested in seeing your homemade sign on College GameDay? Fans may drop off signs beginning Monday, Sept. 7 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at two locations in Winston-Salem, the Bridger Field House adjacent to Truist Field, or at the shelter on the upper lawn at Bailey Park in Innovation Quarter. Fans who are unable to drop off a sign in person may mail their sign to Wake Forest Athletics at PO BOX 7426, Winston-Salem, NC 27109.

Students may drop off their signs on the third floor of the Benson University Center, across from the main staircase. Free sign-making supplies will be available for students to pick-up in the same place throughout the week.

All signs must be received by noon on Friday in order to guarantee their placement for the show. Wake Forest maintains full discretion in choosing which signs will be approved for placement in the Demon Deaclone pit.

Demon Deaclone
Do you want to see your face and sign live on College GameDay? ESPN setup will be positioned within Truist Field to allow for cutouts and homemade submitted signs.

Demon Deaclone fan cutouts are on sale for Truist Field for the 2020 season, and any fans who purchase before this Wednesday, Sept. 9 will have their cutout used as part of the Demon Deaclone fan pit located directly behind the College GameDay set on Saturday morning.

Fan cutouts are available for purchase at two price points. The premium locations close to the field are available for $120, while standard seating cutouts cost $60. Visit GoDeacs.com/cutout to purchase before Wednesday's deadline.
Fans who are Deacon Virtual Season Ticket PRO-Level members receive a 20% discount on their purchase. DVST members will also receive access to exclusive College GameDay content throughout the week and on Saturday. Interested fans may register and purchase their membership today at GoDeacs.com/virtualticket or call the ticket office at 336-758-3322 ext. 1.

Wake Forest Athletics

Engagement with Deacon Nation: Exciting Events, Plans Await Wake Forest Students, Staff & Winston-Salem Community

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