A cheer erupts from the crowd. The marching band blares a soulful cadence. The energy is electric, but unless you’re in the stadium, chances are you’ve never seen it. For decades, HBCU sports have been underrepresented in mainstream sports coverage. But now, a new move by BET might just change that.
At the 2025 BET Awards, media star Ashley Nicole Moss and former NFL MVP Cam Newton announced the upcoming launch of 106 & Sports, a cultural sports show set to debut later this year. Positioned as a modern evolution of 106 & Park, the show is designed to bridge the world of sports and Black culture.
But for many, it sparked a bigger question: Could this be the first step toward BET returning to HBCU athletics coverage?
Before Viacom’s 2000 acquisition of BET, the network was a cultural torchbearer for HBCU sports. Saturday afternoons on BET were once filled with the sights and sounds of Southern football classics, Grambling vs. Southern, Howard vs. Hampton, complete with halftime performances and culture-rich storytelling that no other network could match.
But as corporate ownership shifted focus, HBCU game coverage quietly vanished. Tape-delayed broadcasts struggled to attract ratings, and by the mid-2000s, BET’s presence in HBCU sports coverage had all but disappeared.
In recent years, networks like Aspire TV, Bounce TV, and digital upstarts like HBCU Go have worked to fill the gap. But none have the mainstream pull of BET. With the channel still boasting cultural credibility, and an existing audience deeply invested in Black excellence, HBCU sports could be the perfect content match.
And the timing? Couldn’t be better. College football fans are already questioning where marquee matchups like Norfolk State vs. Delaware State or FAMU vs. Jackson State will air this fall. With ESPN+ putting many games behind a paywall or limiting them to low-visibility channels like ESPNU, a new player is overdue.
Imagine the Morehouse vs. Tuskegee Classic on BET, with full production, robust storytelling, and a spotlight on the culture. It’s not just about football, it’s about identity, community, and history.
Morehouse College marching band drum major on the field during the pre-game show for Super Bowl XXVIII between the Dallas Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills at the Georgia Dome.© RVR Photos-Imagn Images
While 106 & Sports is not yet confirmed to include live HBCU coverage, its existence proves BET is open to reentering the sports conversation. If the show performs well, why not extend the brand to HBCU athletics? BET has the distribution, the legacy, and the built-in fanbase.
This could be a transformative partnership: exposure for HBCU conferences, authentic storytelling for the culture, and a ratings win for BET. Everyone benefits.
BET doesn’t need to become ESPN, but in this moment, it has a unique opportunity to reclaim its roots and make HBCU athletics a core part of its brand again.
For HBCU sports fans, this is more than nostalgia. It’s hope. It’s representation. And it’s about time.