MEAC/SWAC CHALLENGE: Charlie Neal, The Voice of Black College Sports, To Be Recognized Labor Day Weekend

Charlie Neal

ORLANDO, Florida  --  Over the past 30-plus years, Charlie Neal has become the voice of black college sports. The Philadelphia native brings a keen insight to Historically Black College/University athletics—mainly because he has seen it up close.

With his signature baritone, Neal—a 2013 MEAC/SWAC Challenge Legend—first hit the national scene in 1980, when he started doing play-by-play for the upstart Black Entertainment Network (BET). In 2005, Neal brought his talents and experience to ESPN, primarily serving as play-by-play announcer for HBCU football and basketball telecasts on ESPNU.

“Covering the games, of course, I knew everybody,” says Neal. “Jerry Rice, Steve McNair, Avery Johnson…. Basketball or football, I was involved with all these people.

“Eddie Robinson, for example, was always very kind and accessible and courteous. He carried a briefcase on the sidelines at every game. I always used to make fun of him with that briefcase. He would say that he had a ham sandwich in there in case he got hungry during the game. I don’t know if it was true or not, but that was our joke.”

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