Title/Alt Text South Carolina's season will begin with a 6 p.m. kickoff on Thursday, September 3 against North Carolina in the 2015 Belk College Kickoff at Bank of America Stadium. The Gamecocks, coming off a 7-6 season and bowl victory over Miami, will have the game against the border-rival Tar Heels televised on the ESPN family of networks.

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*** From USC Sports Information***

The Charlotte Sports Foundation (CSF) announced today that Belk, Inc., will be the title sponsor of the 2015 football game between the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and the University of South Carolina Gamecocks in Charlotte, N.C. The 2015 Belk College Kickoff will be held at Bank of America Stadium on Thursday, September 3 with the opening kickoff set for 6:00 p.m. and televised nationally by the ESPN family of networks.

Belk also serves as the title sponsor of the Belk Bowl, which is hosted in Charlotte and features teams from the Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference facing off as part of college football’s bowl season.

“College football is at the heart of Southern lifestyle and Belk is excited to partner with the Charlotte Sports Foundation as the title sponsor of the Belk College Kickoff Game,” said Jon Pollack, Belk executive vice president, sales promotion, marketing and eCommerce. “The Belk College Kickoff Game is a great opportunity to engage fans and customers in the Southeast, as well as celebrate and support the Charlotte community.”

“We are excited to expand our partnership with Belk to bring top level college football games to Charlotte,” said Will Webb Executive Director of the Charlotte Sports Foundation. “We can’t wait for the Tar Heels and Gamecocks to take the field, and their fans to experience our great city.”

The first opportunity to buy the best seats for both games begins Monday, May 12 at 10AM with the Belk Pigskin Package. The 2-pack guarantees fans the same seats for the Belk College Kickoff Game and Belk Bowl and starts at just $119. For more information, please contact the Charlotte Sports Foundation’s Ticket Office at Tickets@CharlotteSports.org.

Charlotte, N.C.-based Belk, Inc. (www.belk.com) is the nation's largest family owned and operated department store company with 297 Belk stores located in 16 Southern states and a growing digital presence. Its belk.com website offers a wide assortment of national brands and private label fashion apparel, shoes and accessories for the entire family along with top name cosmetics, a wedding registry and a large selection of quality merchandise for the home. Founded in 1888 by William Henry Belk in Monroe, N.C., the company is in the third generation of Belk family leadership and has been committed to community involvement since its inception.

Belk offers many ways to connect via digital and social media, including Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, Google Plus and Belk Blog, and provides exclusive offers, fashion updates, sales notifications and coupons via email or mobile phone text messages. Customers can also download the latest Belk mobile apps for the iPad, iPhone or Android.

The Charlotte Sports Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created in 2013 to provide leadership for sports-based initiatives that enhance the economy and quality of life in the Charlotte region. CSF provides unique events and business opportunities around professional, collegiate and amateur sporting events, highlighted by the Belk Bowl, the Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship and the 2018 regular season football game between Tennessee and West Virginia. These efforts are intended to create a positive economic impact in the region as well as to enhance the quality of life.

The organization’s board of directors is comprised of regional business, industry and civic leaders who have a track record of bringing sports and economic development to the area.