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There's been a huge desire for BET to start back broadcasting HBCU athletics and it has been a huge topic on social media. At the Inception of BET, one of the main tenets of the channel was their ability to showcase nearly every aspect of black culture, and that included HBCUs.
The “BET Sports” coverage was always unique and spotlighted aspects of the atmosphere of an HBCU football game that other networks that broadcasted the game didn't. Some of those old-schools games are available to be seen on YouTube. These broadcasts were fixtures in BET's broadcast schedule until Viacom (now known as Paramount Global) ultimately bought the company in 2000. Broadcasts of HBCU football started to phase out around the mid-2000s, even as BET started the HBCU-focused College Hill franchise.
It's often said that BET stopped airing HBCU athletics because the ratings didn’t justify the cost and effort of production, especially for tape-delayed broadcasts that struggled to attract viewers. However, in recent years, networks like Aspire TV and Bounce TV have stepped in to showcase HBCU athletics.
Additionally, digital platforms like Urban Edge Network and HBCU Go have emerged, hosting various HBCU games and expanding access to these events. Despite these alternatives existing in the marketplace, there’s still a strong call for BET to return to broadcasting HBCU athletics and reclaim its role in supporting these institutions.
BET still has a significant place in the media marketplace and a cultural cachet that could attract even casual sports viewers that would be enthralled with the atmosphere of HBCU life. It always made sense but conventional media wisdom proved that the possibility of BET ever getting back into the HBCU sports business was farfetched.
The network has pivoted to a thriving audience of African-American women ages 18-34, maintaining this audience via scripted original content, classic syndicated content and exclusive cultural events such as yesterday's BET Awards. With this in mind, the idea of BET ever showcasing HBCU sports felt like a distant dream, an unattainable wish, a discussion confined to social media debates and heavily worded articles.
i grew up watching 106 & Park. as a New York girl, the show meant something extra special to me and to now be part of this family, the @bet family, is such a full circle moment.
i know how much this brand means to so many of you, i promise to honor it 🫶🏽 pic.twitter.com/rrL4xAa8gL
— Ashley Nicole Moss (@AshNicoleMoss) June 10, 2025
But, Yesterday at the BET Awards, following an amazing tribute to 106 & Park, an exciting announcement was made. CBS Sports host Ashley Nicole Moss and former NFL MVP Cam Newton revealed they are launching a spinoff titled 106 & Sports, set to be released later this year. More details have yet to be announced but the show promises to bet at the intersection of sports and culture.
I'm happy for Ashley Nicole Moss, a rising star in the media space that always radiates authenticity and Cam Newton, who's digital media career has skyrocketed since he retired from the NFL. I'm excited to see the show later on this year and how it pays homage to 106 & Park while blending in modern day sports culture.
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The announcement of 106 & Sports, to me, vindicated the hopes that maybe BET will one day enter serious talks with our HBCU athletic conferences to bring HBCU athletics to their cable and streaming platform. It's clear that they're willing to dip their toe in the water of HBCU sports broadcasting.
With 106 & Sports as the crown jewel, why not look to get into the mix to acquire the rights to a couple of HBCU football classics? There's plenty of big-time HBCU games that will likely be tucked away on ESPN+ or not even broadcasted nationally at all this fall. At this time, we don't even know where the highly anticipated matchup between Norfolk State and Delaware State will be broadcasted, especially as it's been moved to a Thursday night opposite a couple of other college football broadcasts.
While not likely, BET stepping up in a moment like that to broadcast a game as significant to the culture as Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson's first game. Seeing that game possibly broadcasted on a cable channel with limited circulation (like ESPNU for example). I could envision BET in that situation giving a phenomenal broadcast and promotion that would be befitting of that big matchup.
I can imagine big time football matchups like Florida A&M vs. Jackson State, Howard vs. Hampton, Morehouse vs. Tuskegee being featured on BET and would be rich with intrigue and good sports storytelling. A platform like BET would be so important to give these matchups the proper platform and attention it deserves, not stored away behind an ESPN+ paywall with mediocre production.
BET green-lighting 106 & Sports could be a meaningful first step in exploring what a streamlined media package might look like for the network. I’m not suggesting BET needs to become ESPN, but if they’re aiming to carve out a niche at the intersection of sports and culture, HBCU athletics could be a crucial component of that strategy.
I still doubt that it'll happen. But, I believe that this is more within the room of possibility than we think. I'm excited to see where 106 & Sports goes, and I'm excited for both Moss and Newton for this huge career move. However, I would be remiss not to highlight the tremendous opportunity for BET to further its push into the sports space in a meaningful way. I believe this could be beneficial for both BET and our HBCU athletic conferences, as well as the schools that comprise them.
