Stephen A. Smith & First Take Live From 76ers Fieldhouse on #HBCU Week

ESPN’s popular morning debate show First Take, with Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman and host Molly Qerim Rose, will be live from the 76ers Fieldhouse in Wilmington, DE on Friday, September 20, as part of Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week.

The live edition of First Take from 10 a.m.-noon ET on ESPN will include a full lineup of special guests – including Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson – along with performances by HBCU marching bands, the Delaware State Drumline and a step show. The event is free and available to the public with doors opening at 7 a.m. and will include free giveaways and a live DJ.



“I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for the education and experience I had at an HBCU,” said Smith, a proud graduate of Winston-Salem State University who was named the HBCU Week Ambassador by the city of Wilmington in June. “I can’t wait to take First Take on the road to Wilmington and meet all the potential students at the College Fair.”

“We are thrilled to be a part of the HBCU Week schedule in Wilmington for the first time later this month,” said ESPN coordinating producer, Antoine Lewis. “There’s nothing like the energy of a live, on-site First Take show and when you add to that all the excitement surrounding this event and 4,000 fans, it should make for a truly unforgettable experience.”

HBCU College Fair is open to all high school aged students and a senior high school student can engage in an, “on the spot acceptance process,” whereby, if the student attends with a copy of the requisite SAT/ACT score and transcript, they could be admitted into college on the spot and offered a scholarship award. 

In the two years of the College Fair, more than 1,000 students have been admitted to HBCUs and many have received full and partial scholarships. The week culminates with the Battle of the Bands from colleges and universities from around the east coast.