On September 30, 1939, the first American collegiate football game was broadcast on television. It was announced today, 71 years later, that Texas A&M University-Commerce will be participating in its first home live televised game at Memorial Stadium.

A&M-Commerce will host Tarleton State University for its first live televised game on TXA 21 on Saturday, October 16th at 3:30 p.m. The two A&M-system schools are separated by 171 miles.

"Our athletic department is thrilled to have the opportunity to host a televised game on TXA 21," said A&M-Commerce athletic director Carlton Cooper. "This contest will provide tremendous visibility for not only our football program, but for Texas A&M University-Commerce as an institution."

TXA 21 is also the over-the-air broadcast outlet for area professional teams including the Dallas Mavericks, Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars. The TXA market covers 6.9 million people in 32 counties, including 2.59 million television households.

In 2007, Texas A&M University-Commerce took part in the national broadcast of its football season opener against Pittsburg State. The contest was covered nationally on CBS College Sports TV and regionally by Fox Sports South, Fox Sports Southwest, Metro Sports and Altitude Sports and Entertainment. 

At halftime of the game, the 1990 A&M-Commerce football team will be recognized. The 1990 squad won the Lone Star Conference title, posting a 10-3 overall record. It marked the return of the Lions to the post season for the first time in 10 years and the school's first NCAA Division II playoff appearance. It was the first outright LSC championship by the Lions in 18 years. The 10-3 mark was the best since the national championship season of 1972.

The Lions‚ Terry Bagsby, Bobby Bounds, Gary Compton, Dwayne Phorne, Chad Turner, Eric Turner and Billy Watkins were selected as first team all-LSC. Head Coach Eddie Vowell was named as the Coach of the Year, Watkins was named Freshman of the Year, Compton was selected as the Back of the Year, Bounds was the Offensive Back of the Year and Bagsby shared Lineman of the Year honors. Plus, Micah Haley, Don Madden and Gary Perry were named second team all-conference. Receiving honorable mention honors were David Chapman, Brian Harp, Lance Hyder, Willie Mozeke, Joseph Showell and Finis Turner. In its first round game against Grand Valley State, A&M-Commerce bounced back from an early 6-0 deficit to score the next 20 points en route to a 20-14 victory. The Lions lost its second round game by a 60-28 margin to Pittsburg State. The squad led the LSC by averaging 36.2 points a game and holding the opposition to 13.1 points.