HARRISONBURG, VA (James Madison University) – ESPN will return to the site of previously successful live shows as it will air the 2 p.m. (ET) edition of SportsCenter with co-host Matt Barrie live from James Madison’s campus on Wednesday, Oct. 9 and Thursday, Oct. 10.

The Thursday program will originate from the patio area near the Duke Dog statue in front of the Plecker Athletic Performance Center with the public invited to gather for the show. The Wednesday show will air from a private location and not open to the public.

SportsCenter, ESPN’s flagship program, is the premier source for sports fans, delivering comprehensive coverage of the latest news, highlights, and analysis across a wide range of sports, with multiple live editions airing daily.

Barrie who co-hosts the 2 p.m. (ET) weekday editions of SportsCenter, will also provide the play-by-play call for the Thursday night Sun Belt Conference football game between JMU and Coastal Carolina, which will air on ESPN2 at 7:30 p.m.

Guests are allowed on the APC patio area for the Thursday SportsCenter broadcast, but everyone is requested not to gather prior to 1:30 p.m. Anyone planning to attend should review campus parking regulations in effect for the Thursday night football game as announced by JMU Athletics, with additional details on campus operations announced by the university.

This Wednesday, SportsCenter will mark the fourth live ESPN show originating from Harrisonburg in the last 10 years. JMU hosted College GameDay in 2015, 2017 and 2023, with the most recent marking the 30th anniversary of ESPN taking the show on the road. An estimated 26,000 people were in attendance last November.

JMU is 4-1 overall and 0-1 in Sun Belt play heading into the Thursday contest, while Coastal is also 4-1 overall and 1-0 in league play.