ESPN’s College GameDay will not be the only national broadcast from the University’s campus this weekend.
Step aside, Kirk Herbstreit, because CBS’s morning news program The Early Show will broadcast live segments Friday from outside Tiger Stadium.
Dave Price, weatherman and reporter for The Early Show, will broadcast at least five live segments during the two-hour program from the West Stadium parking lot to showcase the experience of LSU tailgating, football and spirit. He said the broadcast will be from 6 to 8 a.m., but students are encouraged to come as early as 5 a.m.
“We were trying to figure out how we bring some of the excitement of CBS football to our national audience during the week and give people a little taste of what it’s like to be on a campus at one of the premiere schoolsin the United States,” Price said. “We really want to give people at home a sense of how great it is to be on [LSU’s] campus right now with this kind of team representing you guys.”
Steve Cohen, a producer for “The Early Show” who will be in Baton Rouge on Friday, said the LSU cheerleaders and Tiger Band will be present, and the show will also feature cajun cooking and sports analysts’ predictions for Saturday’s game against Florida.
“It’s fun to support your school,” Cohen said. “That’s part of what college is like. We’re [going to be] at Tiger Stadium, and I think [students] should wear their purple and gold. We’d love to see signs supporting LSU, CBS and Dave Price.”
Price said students who have difficulty waking up at an early morning hour should stay up all night to come show support for the Tigers.
“It’s going to be such a fun morning,” Price said. “Consider this a class we’re going to take attendance on. And all you have to do is show up, and you get a passing score.”
Theresa Overby, director of communication for the Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said various prizes will be raffled off during the show, including at least three football jerseys and a helmet, all autographed by LSU football coach Les Miles and Price.
Overby said the Panhellenic Association of LSU will also sponsor a special prize competition for fraternities and sororities.
“The fraternity or sorority with the most people in attendance wins a ‘fat head’ – a big poster of an LSU helmet – signed by Les Miles and Dave Price of ‘The Early Show’ for their house,” Overby said.
Overby also encouraged student organizations to come to the broadcast. She said groups coming with 10 or more students should RSVP to “The Early Show” at [email protected].
“Throughout the broadcast Dave Price will kind of give a shout-out to people who are there,” Overby said. “So he may mention that [your group] is here today. It’s an opportunity to have a mention of television if they RSVP. And that goes for the fraternities, the sororities and any groups that are coming.”
Price said he hopes to film a segment in which he pets Mike VI, LSU’s new mascot.
“I have never seen the tiger in person,” Price said. “And I have never attempted to pet the tiger, all of which I will do on television, hopefully. And I imagine my fear of being mauled is very similar to what Florida is feeling right now coming to your campus.”
Price said the incredible spirit displayed by Tiger fans makes the University a special place.
“What makes one university really stand out is that sense of school identity,” Price said. “And that’s why [school spirit] is so important. That’s why we’re really eager to showcase LSU on Friday. This is one of those trips for us that officially it’s business, and unofficially it’s pleasure.”
—Contact Nicholas Persac at [email protected]