BOXTOROW’s 15 Year Anniversary Celebration of HBCU Sports Talk A Success

The Premiere HBCU Sports Radio Show

DWCommunications, LLC, parent company of the national radio program FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW celebrated 15 years on the air with a virtual show on Thursday, August 20, 2020 from 5 – 7 p.m. ET. The broadcast which was viewed by thousands on boxtorow.com, Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Twitter, Live and Instagram Live, has garnered a lot of positive feedback.

Guests of the celebration included Entertainment Tonight host Kevin Frazier, Super Bowl winning quarterback and Washington Football Team executive Doug Williams, and Grammy Award winning singer Joss Stone, and was hosted by BOXTOROW founder and host Donal Ware. Raleigh (NC) Mayor Pro Tem Corey Branch also presented a proclamation from the city of Raleigh naming August 20, 2020 BOXTOROW Day in Raleigh.

“The outpouring of support was absolutely tremendous and we thank our guests and all those who supported the broadcast of the celebration,” said Ware. “Kevin, Doug and Joss have either meant something to the program or meant something to me personally over the years, which is why each of them participating was very important. The proclamation from the city of Raleigh presented by Corey was unbelievable. What a day.”

The show began with Ware giving perspective on BOXTOROW and how it began. Branch then issued the proclamation from the city of Raleigh. Ware then spoke to Frazier for the next 15 minutes when Williams appeared on the show and the Entertainment Tonight host shared a memory with Williams about how Williams’ Grambling team defeated Frazier’s Morgan State team at Yankee Stadium in the ‘70’s. Ware spoke to Williams for about 25 minutes as Williams talked about his days as Grambling’s quarterback, placing fourth in the Heisman voting during his senior, becoming the first starting Black quarterback to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory, and about life after his playing days.

Stone then appeared on the show during the 6 p.m. hour, where she spoke about the music industry amongst other topics of conversation. Two-minute vignettes of interviews with guests over the years were shown during the last 45 minutes before Ware closed the show with family members and select invitees.

The program was hosted from Zweil’s in Durham, NC


The Kevin Frazier segment on BOXTOROW


View the entire show on YouTube


FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW first came on the air on August 20, 2005. Ware originally hosted the show at a radio station in Baltimore before Terry Banks took over as host from September 2005 to January 2006 when Ware once again began hosting the program. In the early years, BOXTOROW aired in Baltimore/Washington, Birmingham, Greensboro/Winston-Salem, and Atlanta and on WAUG in Raleigh. WAUG, also now known as Hot 97.9 FM, is the only original affiliate that still carries BOXTOROW.

Today BOXTOROW airs in top 50 markets such as Washington, DC, Tampa, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Tidewater, VA, Nashville, Raleigh, and Greensboro, NC to name a few. BOXTOROW currently also airs on SiriusXM Satellite Radio on H.U.R. Voices (Channel 141) and HBCU (Channel 142). Over the years, BOXTOROW has aired in other top 50 markets including San Francisco, Dallas, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit, Puerto Rico, Baltimore, Cleveland, Las Vegas, Austin, TX, Salt Lake City, New Orleans, and Milwaukee. The program made its SiriusXM debut in late 2011.

The core of BOXTOROW’s focus has been HBCU (Historically Black College and University) sports and the happenings at schools in the CIAA, MEAC, SWAC, SIAC and schools such as Tennessee State, Hampton as well as other HBCUs. Over these 15 years, BOXTOROW has told the stories of many athletes, at HBCUs before they became top professional athletes. Darius Leonard, Terron Armstead, Javon Hargrave, Tarik Cohen, Robert Covington and many others have all appeared on BOXTOROW while student-athletes at their respective schools. The program also talks with coaches and administrators at the various institutions.

Over the years, BOXTOROW has evolved and has had as guests sports and entertainment figures including Serena Williams, Kevin Durant, Jerry Rice, Mike Tyson, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Brown, Alex Morgan, Michael Strahan, Sheila E., Kevin Hart, Ice Cube, Common, Joss Stone, Snoop Dogg, and T.I. to name a very few.

Events that BOXTOROW has covered or broadcast from include Super Bowls, MLB All-Star Games, NBA All-Star Weekends, NBA Finals, NHL All-Star Game, Daytona 500, and the U.S. Open.

“A lot has transpired in our 15 years of existence and we were really proud to be able to share the moment with our longtime supporters and fans, as well as new supporters and fans,” said Ware. “It’s a continuing journey that began as a way to promote HBCU sports nationally and has continued to do that, but has also become so much more. The celebration marked the beginning of the next 15 years and we look forward to continuing to bring people not only a product with a mix of information and entertainment but also an experience.”

“Thank you to our fans, supporters, guests, sponsors, and radio affiliates. Without them we would not still be in existence.”

Proud partners of the BOXTOROW 15-year celebration included Harlem Beer NC and Marjorie’s Beef Jerky. Additional proud partners of BOXTOROW include BRIC (Brown Reality and Investment Corporation) and BRIC Sports and Entertainment.