ALLEN MEDIA GROUP’S HBCU GO KICKS OFF FIFTH SEASON WITH LIVE FOOTBALL AND NEW ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING

The Fall Season Opens with Saturday Night Lights, “Callin’ Plays,” “Crowned Presented by P&G,” and Special Tributes to Broadcasting Legend Charlie Neal

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, August 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Allen Media Group’s free-streaming digital and television platform, HBCU GO — the leading media provider for the nation’s 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) – returns this fall with its most expansive season of sports and culture programming to date. This season boasts a 13-week HBCU football schedule, the launch of a new original podcast, Callin’ Plays, the series premiere of Crowned Presented by P&G, and special tributes honoring legendary broadcaster Charlie Neal. Entering its milestone fifth football season, HBCU GO continues to elevate the stories, traditions, and excellence of HBCUs through premium live sports, original programming, and cultural storytelling that reaches audiences worldwide.

The football season kicks off August 29 with North Carolina Central at Texas Southern, launching HBCU GO’s Saturday Night Lights — a four-week primetime showcase celebrating the pageantry, passion, and excitement of HBCU football. Fans will be treated to marquee matchups, including the Hope Labor Day Classic, Southern Heritage Classic, and a highly anticipated showdown between Tennessee State and Florida A&M, before the season transitions into celebrated Homecomings, historic rivalries, and championship-defining conference battles.

HBCU GO proudly celebrates the life and legacy of Charlie Neal, paying tribute to one of the most influential voices in Black college sports broadcasting. On Saturday, August 22, HBCU GO aired a marathon of programming highlighting Neal’s most impactful broadcast moments over his illustrious career. HBCU GO will also honor him with a moment of silence for the first game of the season, HBCU conference-wide. Neal’s decades-long commitment to telling the stories of HBCU athletes and institutions helped shape the national conversation around Black college athletics and paved the way for generations of broadcasters to follow.

This fall also marks the debut of Callin’ Plays, which launched on August 7, a new original podcast featuring conversations that include game recaps, coaching changes, NIL deals, and the transfer portal. Who’s hot and who’s not! These authentic discussions will be hosted by Tolly Carr and joined by our HBCU GO talent: Steve Wyche, James Hadnot, Nia Symone, Lawrencia Moten, and Nicole Hutchison. Callin’ Plays offers fans an inside look at the people, leadership, and moments driving HBCU sports and culture. New episodes air every Friday at 12 pm ET.

HBCU GO will also air the series premiere of Crowned Presented by P&G on August 30 at 3 pm ET. The docuseries, which is co-produced with P&G, celebrates the legacy, leadership, pride, and cultural significance of HBCU kings and queens. This season profiles the journey of the Texas Southern University Royal Court. Crowned Presented by P&G provides a platform to explore the students behind the titles and their responsibility to represent their institutions. The series reflects HBCU GO’s broader mission to tell year-round stories rooted in student life, tradition, and Black excellence.

*See the 2026 Football Schedule and Key Art attached

HOW TO WATCH:

Fans can catch all the action across HBCU GO’s expanding lineup of broadcast, digital, and streaming platforms:

• Broadcast syndication in major U.S. television markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, Atlanta, and more (check local listings)

• Streaming on the HBCU GO FAST Channel on Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Local Now, the HBCU GO mobile app, and additional digital platforms

• Visit HBCUGO.tv for a complete list of viewing options and local affiliates.

This season, HBCU GO continues to be the destination where the games, the stories, the traditions, and the culture of HBCUs come together—bringing fans closer than ever to the people and moments that define Black college excellence.

Tune in and stay locked in all season with highlights, band performances, exclusive behind-the-scenes content, and kickoff coverage on HBCU GO. Follow HBCU GO on social and download the app to stay up to date and never miss a moment—the culture is calling.

ABOUT HBCU GO
HBCU GO is a cultural lifestyle destination and leading sports media provider that embraces and represents the voice of Black Excellence every day of the year through a platform that captures the rich history, diversity, perspectives, and cultural experiences at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. HBCU GO provides live sports, original series, documentaries, films, comedy, and edutainment programming. Launched in 2012, the free-streaming service was acquired by Byron Allen in 2021 and is part of Allen Media Group (AMG). AMG owns and operates 13 ABC-CBS-NBC network affiliate broadcast television stations in 11 U.S. markets and ten 24-hour HD television networks. For more information, visit www.allenmedia.tv

Eric Peterkofsky / Michelle Brooks / Danielle Spigner-Davis
Allen Media Group/HBCU GO
Eric@es.tv / michelle.brooks@hbcugo.tv

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Written By: EIN Presswire