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The rebuilding University of Louisville football program may not be the cream of the crop a la the University of Florida and the University of Alabama just yet, but U of L has found a way to compete with the best football schools in the nation – through fans.
Senior mechanical engineering major Scott Beard, better known as Red Reign, has been selected by ESPN and StubHub as one of four finalists for the Ultimate College Football Fan. And he’s seeking student support.
Beard was selected from entries all across the nation by the judges at ESPN, based on the following categories: entertainment value, originality, how far you have gone to support your team, commitment to your team and knowledge of your team. The vote now goes online, where anyone can go to espn.com and vote for Beard. Type “StubHub” into the search bar on espn.com to find the voting. Voters are required to have an espn.com account, but setting one up takes only moments. As an incentive for voting, students are automatically entered to win one of five $250 gift certificates from StubHub.
Beard said he has been dressing up in his outrageous costume for U of L football and basketball games since 2007. He has been featured on television, recruiting postcards and the U of L website.
“Who is the ultimate college football fan?” said Beard in his entry to ESPN. “Is he the face of his school? Is he the face of his team? Is he known by another name, a name only used on Saturdays? If the answer is yes to all of these questions, then you have found the ultimate college football fan. So ask again. Who is the ultimate college football fan? I am. I am Red Reign.”
Voting opened on Monday, Sept. 27 and continues until Friday, Oct. 22.
