Michael Bluitt attended his first Circle City Classic in the early 1990s.
At the time, he was a volunteer at Indiana Black Expo’s Summer Celebration, so volunteering at the Classic felt like a natural maturation for him and his wife, Bonita.
Bluitt, who retired after owning an accounting business for 40 years, hasn’t missed a Classic in 35 years. He even attended in 2020 when they didn’t have a HBCU football game due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 75-year-old captured his experiences at the Classic with a disposable camera. He was most excited to see celebrities such as gospel legends Yolanda Adams and Kirk Franklin; comedian Sinbad; Jerry Rice, an NFL Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Mississippi Valley State University wide receiver; and good HBCU football.
“People were coming from all over the country to partake in a nice weekend … being around a lot of Black people,” he said. “Everybody that was anybody was making their way to Expo and Classic. Thousands and thousands. It was something to behold.”
Bluitt’s favorite part of all the festivities was Battle of the Bands.
He said the HBCU bands, specifically Florida A&M University and Grambling State University “showed out,” playing “the latest and greatest music.” If you’ve never experienced it, he recommends watching the 2002 film “Drumline,” starring Nick Cannon and Zoe Saldana.
But the Circle City Classic Bluitt has grown to love, and is loyal to, is getting a makeover.
This year, the Sept. 25-26 weekend event will not feature HBCU football teams and instead showcase Central Indiana high school girls and boys football teams. Crispus Attucks, Lawrence North, Ben Davis, Pike, Warren Central and Arsenal Tech will face off Sept. 26 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Check out the full schedule of this year’s Circle City Classic events.
Related
See lively photos of the 2025 Circle City Classic Parade
Marching bands, dancers and other groups marched in the 41st annual parade Sept. 27, supporting scholarships for HBCU students.
Standing the test of time
Heavynne Beard, quarterback of Lawrence North High School’s girls flag football team, has never been to a Circle City Classic. But the sophomore is looking forward to playing at Lucas Oil Stadium.
“It’s a big stage,” she said. “There’s probably not going to be that many people there but it’s still big to us, and I’m just — I’m ready. I’m excited. I’m nervous. I’m all type of emotions right now.”
Her head coach, Donny Mimms, said the Classic will be the first time the team has a chance to play on a professional football field.
“We’re honored. I had no idea, then all of a sudden I was told about it. I’m honored for our program to be able to represent something so iconic in the city of Indianapolis,” Mimms said.
Last year, Black Indy Live’s Instagram post showing a photo of the Circle City Classic’s low turnout at Lucas Oil Stadium caused a firestorm across social media. People were calling for the Classic to be canceled and or reworked to attract younger audiences.
But classics around the country are struggling in the Midwest, in comparison to southern cities where the majority of HBCUs are concentrated, according to Edward Rogers, senior director of community initiatives for Indiana Black Expo, which has hosted the event since 1984.
The Circle City Classic in Indianapolis, created by the then CEO president Rev. Charles Williams, first took place in a game with Mississippi Valley State University vs. Grambling State University at the Hoosier Dome.
In 42 years, the event has fundraised $5.5 million for scholarships, according to IBE’s 2025 impact report.
If they build it, will you come?
Bluitt learned about the high school football showcase edition of Circle City Classic from one of the referees after a Sunday service at his church, Eastern Star.
“I don’t know where they got the concept. This could be brilliant,” Bluitt said. “(Classics) slowly died around the country just like the expos. I don’t know what the mindset of the teenagers are right now. (Indiana Black Expo) had to try something.”
Regardless, he said he will be in the crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium for this year’s Circle City Classic.
Rogers said IBE made these changes to “reimagine” the annual event. He points to rising costs and shifting its focus on generations Z and Alpha.
“When we looked at if Circle City Classic was sustainable, we really had to look at the economic factors. Traveling … hotel costs are much more,” he said. “The price of bringing in an HBCU is a lot more than it was 20 to 40 years ago. Could be that Deion Sanders effect.”
The NFL Pro Hall of Famer’s tenure as head coach of Jackson State University football team from 2020 to 2022 transformed HBCU football. Sanders’ celebrity brought more national media attention, corporate sponsorships and top-tier recruits to HBCUs.
That means more money to bring them to Indianapolis.
Rogers said IBE is listening to feedback from attendees who have asked for more popular HBCU football teams to play in the Classic like Jackson State University, Tennessee State University and Florida A&M University.
He said after reviewing IBE’s budget, they had to get creative. HBCU football teams won’t be on the field, but HBCUs will have a presence at the parade, college fair and Battle of the Bands showcase, including Kentucky State University, Talladega College and Miles College.
It’s also another reason the organization will pivot to HBCU basketball in 2027. Rogers said the organization is unsure if football will be a part of next year’s Classic; it depends on the success of this year’s event. Rogers said IBE would move the event to November to align with the start of the college basketball season.
But to Rogers, the future of Circle City Classic will depend on residents showing up to the events.
“Support us and all that we’re looking to do for the Circle City Classic. We need the continued support from the community. Without it we can’t continue on with our Circle City Classic,” Rogers said. “Be patient with us, we got something coming down the road.”
K-12 reporter Carley Lanich contributed reporting to this story.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations. Sign up for our free newsletters.
Mirror Indy reporter Mesgana Waiss covers arts and culture. Contact her at 317-667-2643 or mesgana.waiss@mirrorindy.org.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
