Navigating Challenges and Celebrating Legacies: The Evolving Landscape of HBCU Athletic Programs

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been foundational institutions in the United States, serving as educational and cultural hubs for Black Americans, providing opportunities for higher education when mainstream universities systematically excluded Black students. HBCU sports have always been more than just games; they have been a reflection of Black resilience and ingenuity. From legendary rivalries and vibrant homecoming traditions to producing elite athletes and community leaders, the impact of athletics in HBCU development extends far beyond the playing field.

The Enduring Legacy of HBCU Athletics

Athletics at HBCUs represents far more than competition-it’s a celebration of heritage, unity, and perseverance. Events like the Bayou Classic, the Florida Classic, and countless homecoming games are cultural milestones that unite current students, alumni, and local communities in shared celebration. These events bring together alumni, students, and supporters in a vibrant display of school spirit and community. The marching bands, step teams, and halftime shows are as integral to the HBCU experience as the games themselves.

The emergence of HBCU sports was both a response to segregation and the need to provide Black students an opportunity to advance in sport. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Black student-athletes had few avenues to compete at the collegiate level outside of HBCUs. Over the decades, HBCUs became breeding grounds for elite athletic talent. Institutions such as Tennessee State University, Jackson State University, and Florida A&M University produced legendary figures like Wilma Rudolph, Walter Payton, and Jerry Rice. HBCU sports programs cultivated athletes who excelled in track and field, basketball, and football, often outperforming counterparts from predominantly white institutions. The first recorded intercollegiate HBCU football game took place in 1892 between Livingstone College and Biddle College (now Johnson C. Smith University).

Economic Contributions and Cultural Influence

HBCU sports have been integral to shaping American culture, not only through their economic contributions but also through their profound influence on national beliefs, social norms, and cultural rituals. These institutions have long been a space for celebrating and preserving African American identity, offering an enduring testament to resilience, community, and pride.

HBCU football classics-such as the Bayou Classic, the Florida Classic, and the Magic City Classic-also generate millions of dollars for host cities. For example, the Bayou Classic, featuring Grambling State University and Southern University, has an estimated economic impact of over $50 million for New Orleans each year. HBCU homecomings are another major contributor to economic growth. These events, which celebrate school spirit and tradition, drive millions in revenue through concerts, step shows, tailgating, and other festivities. The revenue generated by these events also funds scholarships, athletic facilities, and academic programs.

Financial Hurdles and Resource Disparities

Despite their rich legacies, HBCU athletic programs often face challenges such as limited funding, outdated facilities, and disparities in media exposure compared to larger institutions. Some HBCUs face challenges with resources and media exposure for student-athletes. Some HBCUs also don’t have the same level of facilities, compared to PWIs, to prepare athletes for top competition.

While some HBCUs struggle with their level of available financial resources, not all of them do. At nearly $109 million in May 2023, Florida A&M University's endowment is one of the largest among HBCUs. That amount for FAMU, an NCAA Division I school, is far below the average endowment of $1.2 billion among the 688 institutions that completed the National Association of Black Colleges and Universities 2023 fiscal year survey conducted by the National Association of College and University Business Officers. FAMU benefits from being the only HBCU in Florida’s public university system. Another NCAA Division I HBCU similarly positioned is Prairie View A&M University, the only HBCU in the 11-school Texas A&M University system. Prairie View, along with the other schools in the Texas A&M and the University of Texas systems, benefits from the billions of annual dollars in state oil and gas revenue.

Simmons adds that other private HBCUs - like Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Hampton University in Virginia - also benefit from having some of the largest endowments and giving bases among HBCUs. Howard is expected to become, in 2024, the first HBCU with an endowment reaching $1 billion.

Media Exposure and Perception

HBCUs face challenges when it comes to media exposure for their student-athletes. Media companies that highlight legacy games like the annual Bayou Classic raise public awareness of HBCUs, creating more opportunities and increasing exposure for student-athletes. Often in revenue-generating sports like football and basketball, HBCUs play bigger Division I schools, essentially guaranteeing these HBCUs money for their athletic programs, travel scholarships and other expenses. But the ultimate result of these matchups can be a negative impact on the perception of HBCUs among potential student-athletes.

HBCUs getting beaten badly by larger Division I programs can reinforce negative perceptions of attending an HBCU as a student-athlete. However, highlighting HBCUs in competition against each other would better display the skills of those athletes. In spring 2023, CBS Sports donated $100,000 to rising juniors attending an accredited United Negro College Fund member institution or another qualifying HBCU. More actions like this can highlight the connection between HBCU athletic legacy and financial support.

Real and Perceived Barriers

For many Black student-athletes, choosing a historically Black college or university has appeal. Black students, typically the vast majority at HBCUs, also often say they feel a stronger cultural connection at these schools. However, HBCUs face challenges when it comes to media exposure for their student-athletes. Many HBCUs, for example, have fewer students enrolled compared to bigger predominantly white institutions, or PWIs. This allows student-athletes to take advantage of smaller class sizes and more interaction with their professors.

Several HBCUs also reported increased enrollment following the protests. For example, enrollment at the all-men Morehouse College in Georgia increased from 2,300 in 2018 to 3,200 after the 2020 protests. “We're seeing it more on the forefront to curb the culture, or that negative deficit swath, for our HBCUs. And we're seeing athletes make those decisions to go to an HBCU,” says Carter-Francique, who co-edited a 2015 collection of scholarly articles for a book titled “The Athletic Experience at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Past, Present, and Persistence.”

Opportunities Unique to HBCUs

Student-athletes who decide to attend an HBCU can contribute to a legacy of leaders, athletes, coaches and other pioneers who made an impact.

For example, in 1967 in North Carolina, Winston-Salem State University head basketball coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines became the first to lead an HBCU to an NCAA Division II tournament championship and was a pioneer in Black integration of intercollegiate athletics. Meanwhile, another Black HBCU coach, C. Vivian Stringer, led Cheyney University of Pennsylvania to the school's first NCAA women’s basketball championship game in 1982 - the first NCAA women's basketball Final Four - and she was the first coach in the history of men's and women's college basketball to take three different colleges to the Final Four.

HBCU student-athletes often can also create more of an identity on campus. “At historically Black institutions, the majority of students look like you and come from similar backgrounds,” Simmons says. “So the ability to kind of find yourself outside of the realm of just being an athlete is sometimes a better environment than a PWI.”

Read also: Top HBCU Bands

There's "an understanding of the history and legacy of marginalization, and in many respects, that is rooted in that systemic racism," Carter-Francique says. "I think we in those spaces really work to nurture those young people. Yes, based on race and ethnicity, but also those when we talk about socioeconomic status, gender or religion.”

Navigating the NIL Landscape and NCAA Settlements

In 2021, the NCAA changed its stance on student-athletes profiting off their name, image and likeness (NIL) without losing their eligibility. However, some say this conversation is different at HBCUs compared to predominantly white institutions (PWIs). According to BET, this disparity is primarily due to the resource gap between these schools. Howard Athletics has a strategic partnership with Opendorse.

On top of NIL, Howard has opted into the recent House v. NCAA settlement. This makes NIL education more crucial because without proper guidance, students risk missing out on opportunities or failing to fully understand their rights as a student-athlete.

The recent approval of the $2.8 billion House v. NCAA settlement marks a transformative shift in college athletics, allowing Division I schools to compensate student-athletes directly. Under the settlement, schools can allocate up to $20.5 million annually for athlete compensation, with the cap set to increase over time. Additionally, the agreement includes $2.7 billion in back pay for athletes who competed between 2016 and 2024. Several HBCUs, including Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T, Hampton University, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, have opted into the settlement. By doing so, these institutions can offer direct financial benefits to student-athletes and gain immunity from future lawsuits related to name, image, and likeness (NIL) restrictions.

Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Commissioner Charles McClelland addressed the implications of the NCAA House settlement. The SWAC’s total contribution to the House settlement is $30 million. To support member institutions, the SWAC is creating tools to help HBCUs navigate this new era. Opting in also requires adherence to new roster and scholarship regulations. For HBCUs that choose to opt out, the path forward remains uncertain.

Looking ahead, the settlement presents both opportunities and challenges for HBCU institutions. On one hand, the ability to offer direct compensation could enhance recruitment and retention of talent. As the collegiate athletic landscape continues to evolve, HBCUs must navigate these changes carefully, striking a balance between the promise of increased equity and the realities of financial constraints.

Addressing Regulatory and Legal Issues

The commissioners of four major athletic conferences within Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) addressed a letter noting that current regulatory decisions and legal cases could significantly alter college sports in ways that don’t account for HBCU interests, and especially fail to consider the voices of student-athletes, administrators, and commissioners. One of the key issues discussed is the growing patchwork of state laws, which create confusion and disparities among student-athletes across different states. This can affect recruitment, competition, and retention of athletes at HBCUs. Another major concern raised in the letter is the movement to classify student-athletes as employees of their universities, which would have severe financial consequences for HBCUs.

The letter calls for Congress to affirm that student-athletes should not be classified as employees. It emphasizes the importance of establishing consistent governance in college sports at the national level, providing protections against state laws that could cause further confusion or inequity. The invitation to discuss these issues with the Congressional Black Caucus is a critical next step in making sure that HBCUs and their student-athletes have a voice in the national conversation about the future of college sports.

Tips for Student-Athletes

As when choosing any college, it’s important for student-athletes to do thorough research when considering if an HBCU is the right fit for them, experts say. Making a checklist of what will make an institution a good fit could help with the decision-making process. Student-athletes should strive to translate the competitive spirit exhibited in their sport to career skills development.

Of the one-half million student-athletes participating in college sports that have professional leagues, less than 2% make it to the pros, the NCAA reports. That's why it's important that student-athletes not only pick the best school for them to be successful on the field, but also a school that helps them develop skills in their discipline needed to make them marketable, experts say. That can mean participating in clubs, organizations and other activities that help student-athletes develop these skills.

tags: #hbcu #athletic #program #challenges