South Carolina’s women’s basketball team will face College of Charleston in the marquee game of an exhibition tripleheader at Credit One Stadium in Charleston on Sunday, Sept. 27, organizers announced. The matchup closes TheLinkU Invitational, a weekend billed as the stadium’s inaugural college basketball event and designed to pair on-court competition with off-court fan engagement and hospitality.
Event format and offerings
TheLinkU Invitational will open with two men’s games before finishing with the Gamecocks against the Cougars. Event organizers say the weekend will include a variety of fan programming and VIP hospitality options meant to capitalize on Credit One Stadium’s outdoor setting and to create what they call a distinctive college basketball destination.
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 27 (exhibition tripleheader)
- Venue: Credit One Stadium, Charleston
- Featured game: South Carolina women’s basketball vs. College of Charleston
- Tickets & packages: Multiple ticket packages available, including VIP experiences and Friday evening Chalk Talk
Organizers and stated goals
Beemok Sports & Entertainment is organizing TheLinkU Invitational. The company said adding South Carolina’s program to the event continues its stated commitment to elevating women’s sports, while also promoting an innovative spectator experience in Charleston.
“Dawn Staley is one of the most influential coaches in all of sports, and South Carolina has become the gold standard in women’s college basketball,”
Bob Moran, president of Beemok Sports & Entertainment, said in the announcement that welcoming South Carolina to Credit One Stadium is “incredibly special” and that the event helps reinforce Charleston’s position as a destination for innovative sporting events.
Reaction from South Carolina
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley was quoted emphasizing the partnership and the opportunity to grow women’s basketball. Staley highlighted the venue’s uniqueness and pointed to the VIP package offerings as an added draw for fans traveling to Charleston. She also noted the chance to “visit them for a game to repay them for all their drives to Columbia throughout the season,” referencing the Gamecock fan base that travels within the state.
Local implications
The game and the surrounding weekend programming stand to bring visiting fans and local attendees into downtown Charleston and the surrounding hospitality corridor. Organizers are marketing the experience as more than a single game, promoting hospitality, entertainment and fan programming across multiple days.
Credit One Stadium—better known as a tennis venue where the Volvo Car Open and other tennis events have been staged—will be transformed for college basketball, a move organizers say leverages the stadium’s outdoor setting to create a different type of fan experience. The event follows a national trend of experimenting with nontraditional venues to broaden the appeal of college athletics.
Tickets and next steps
South Carolina fans are offered a range of ticket packages, including VIP options. A Friday evening event called Chalk Talk will open the weekend and is described as a gathering featuring participating teams, partners and invited guests with coaches and players providing an inside look at the teams.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Featured matchup | South Carolina vs. College of Charleston (exhibition) |
| Date | Sunday, Sept. 27 |
| Venue | Credit One Stadium, Charleston |
Organizers and school representatives encourage fans to check ticketing options and package details ahead of the weekend. With an emphasis on women’s basketball and a slate of fan events, TheLinkU Invitational aims to create a notable sporting weekend for Charleston, while giving local fans an opportunity to see a nationally prominent program in an unconventional setting.
