The Circle City Classic is undergoing a massive transformation.
Citing shifting engagement trends and the need for long-term financial sustainability, the Indiana Black Expo (IBE) announced on May 5 a strategic pivot for its signature fall event.
Beginning in 2026, the traditional Circle City Classic HBCU football game will be replaced by a high school football showcase at Lucas Oil Stadium, followed by the introduction of an HBCU basketball invitational in 2027.
The move is designed to reduce operational costs, increase flexibility and protect the primary revenue streams that fund IBE’s year-round youth, family and scholarship programming.
“This evolution is both strategic and necessary,” IBE CEO Alice Watson said. “The Circle City Classic has long been a cornerstone fundraiser supporting scholarships and fueling our year-round programming. This pivot allows us to reduce costs while preserving what matters most: our commitment to community, our founders’ vision, and our ability to create meaningful opportunities for future generations.”
For decades, the Classic has brought premier HBCU football programs to Indianapolis. In 2026, the spotlight shifts strictly to local Marion County student-athletes.
The inaugural high school showcase will feature four matchups at Lucas Oil Stadium, prominently integrating the rapidly growing sport of girls’ flag football alongside premier boys’ varsity programs.
The 2026 schedule features:
- Girls’ Flag Football: Arsenal Tech High School vs. Crispus Attucks High School
- Girls’ Flag Football: Ben Davis High School vs. Lawrence North High School
- Boys’ Football: Pike High School vs. Warren Central High School
- Boys’ Football: Ben Davis High School vs. Lawrence North High School
Despite the shift, IBE confirmed that the cultural hallmarks of the Classic weekend will remain intact. The Battle of the Bands will proceed as planned.
Other weekend staples — including the Circle City Classic Parade, the Education Day & College Fair, the Miss Circle City Classic Coronation, the Coaches Luncheon and the Fall Fest — are all slated to return.
While HBCU football is exiting the Classic lineup, IBE is not abandoning the collegiate sports experience. In 2027, the organization plans to launch an HBCU basketball invitational featuring men’s and women’s programs from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
Details regarding the venue and specific teams are expected this month.
“We are excited to bring the energy of HBCU basketball to Indianapolis,” Watson said. “We are in negotiations with two premier HBCU teams that represent excellence, tradition, and strong alumni pride. Showcasing both men’s and women’s teams creates a dynamic, high-energy experience that will resonate across generations and continue the legacy of the Classic in a new way.”
By restructuring its flagship event, IBE leadership aims to funnel more resources into its daily community initiatives.
The organization’s year-round portfolio includes the Performing Arts Academy, the Business Training Institute, AmplifyU and College Coins, a parent-focused FAFSA initiative. In a significant expansion of its community footprint, IBE also announced it will coordinate and execute the annual Indiana Health Fair in 2026 for the first time in the organization’s history.
“We must prioritize the work that changes lives every single day,” Watson said. “Our special events are powerful and important, but they exist to fund something greater. Our year-round programs are where transformation happens, where students gain access to college, entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses, artists find their voice, and families receive critical health resources.”
Contact multimedia & senior sports reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
Noral Parham is the multi-media reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
Sad to see the continuing demise of a great idea for Indianapolis and Indiana. The ideas of the present leadership are rather tired and weak response to a changing environment in the nation and in Indiana.
I am saddened and dissappointed. Such concessions show a weakness that defies the original intent of the Circle City Classic.
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