HBCU Sports to the Masses: A Vision

HBCU Sports to the HBCU Sports to the Masses: A Vision Masses: A Vision

By: Asheebo Rojas

It's 9 a.m. on an autumn Saturday, and you — a black college football fan — turn to a sports channel to watch the weekly show, Saturday on the Yard.

This Saturday, the show is in Jackson, Mississippi, for the match-up between Deion Sanders' Jackson State Tigers and the Alcorn State Braves.

Sounds crazy, doesn't it? Maybe for now, at least.

Recently, recruiting in collegiate sports has seen multiple cultural shifts, including the rampant use of the transfer portal, NILs, and notably the consideration of HBCUs by the nation's top athletes.

Rewind to 2020 when Howard landed ve-star recruit Makur Maker. Maker, the cousin of former Milwaukee Bucks forward Thon Maker, was the highest- ranked basketball recruit to attend an HBCU.

Then there's Mikey Williams, the 16th ranked player in the 2023 ESPN 60 who had Alabama State, Hampton, North Carolina Central, Tennessee State, and Texas Southern in his top 10 in 2021. And it wasn't just for show — Williams is projected to land at NCCU after his senior year.

Yet, the most impactful push in this HBCU movement was the announcement of Deion Sanders as the head football coach at Jackson State. The Hall of Famer's impact has been undeniable, bringing national attention to HBCU football and landing the no. 2 football recruit Travis Hunter.

So how does this help HBCU sports reach the national stage?

People like to watch the best, and they will watch them

wherever they go. (For example, people watched Lebron James play in Cleveland twice, a city known for not winning anything.) Thus, it's no surprise that stations primarily air PWIs because those have been the programs where the best recruits played for decades. It's all a loop, as the best players bring more fans who spend more money for better facilities, better staff, and more player bene ts — which brings more of the best players.

The crucial difference between HBCU and PWI programs is the money. Black college programs are at a nancial disadvantage with signi cantly less T.V. time, smaller fanbases, and less support from donors. Of course, these disparities are partly a result of racial discrimination by state legislatures that handed out unequal funding and support between their Black

“Black college programs are at a financial disadvantage”

and white institutions. There has also been a history of nancial mismanagement in some HBCU administrations.

However, there is an opportunity for Black talent to develop HBCU athletic programs. It would be perfect for these institutions if the nation's top recruits keep the movement going and eventually allow Black programs to regularly compete with and surpass PWI programs.

But are players and staff enough to get Black colleges on national television on a regular basis?

De nitely not.

There's still a need for universities and alumni to step in and invest in these programs. College sports is a business, and the money it generates can bene t the players and the economic power and marketability of HBCUs in the long run. Allocating more funds and donations to Black college sports can provide the resources needed to build household programs. The T.V. networks themselves must make HBCU sports more accessible to the public. Outside of classics and championship games on ESPN, Black colleges compete on channels requiring extra subscriptions or only receive national attention when playing against prominent PWI programs.

Top recruits want to be on television. They want to be seen — not pushed to the backburner of sports broadcasting.

Take it back to the dream of watching the imaginary show Saturday on the Yard. It's not ESPN airing it. Certainly not B.E.T. Instead, it's a network owned by us, employed by us, and made for us, making Black college sports big and for our enjoyment.

Yet, for now, it's only a dream.