INDIANAPOLIS – The 40th Anniversary Circle City Classic® will feature the Norfolk State Spartans against the North Carolina Central University Eagles. This exciting MEAC matchup will see the first time Circle City Classic appearance for the Spartans and the third for the Eagles. The showdown will take place on Saturday, September 28, 2024, 3:00 PM EDT at Lucas Oil Stadium.
“The Circle City Classic this year will be special as it not only brings competitive HBCU football to Indianapolis, but this is the 40th anniversary,” Alice Watson, Indiana Black Expo President & CEO said. “We are so proud of the 40 years of impact and history that this event has made in our community and throughout the Midwest.”
Since 1984, Circle City Classic® has awarded over $5 million in scholarships to deserving youth attending colleges and universities nationwide. Over this same span, Circle City Classic® has contributed more than $340 million dollars to the Indianapolis economy.
"We are excited to be a part of this year's Circle City Classic, going up against North Carolina Central,” Norfolk State University Director of Athletics Melody Webb said. “This tremendous event, celebrating the 40th anniversary, is a fitting stage for a highly anticipated conference showdown. The game will not only show off two fierce football programs, but also feature two of the top marching bands in the nation. September 28th cannot get here soon enough!”
“The Circle City Classic has been one of the premier HBCU sporting events for the last 40 years, and it is a great honor for the Eagles to participate in this game for a third time,” North Carolina Central University Director of Athletics Dr. Louis “Skip” Perkins said of the event. We are grateful to the Indiana Black Expo for selecting North Carolina Central to be a part of the 40th anniversary, and we cannot wait to get to Indianapolis to face the Spartans of Norfolk State.”
The legacy continues with an exciting half-time show featuring the Circle City Classic® “Battle of the Bands.” This year, the NCCU Sound Machine Marching Band and the Norfolk State Spartan Legion band will go head-to-head. The award-winning Norfolk State Spartan Legion Band has participated in the Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase, the Mardi Gras in the Rex Parade in New Orleans and was the inaugural host of the HBCU Band Battlefest. The NCCU Sound Machine Marching Band has played at professional sports events, has been featured on ESPN First Take and the ESPN Celebration Bowl, and participated in the National Battle of the Bands.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Circle City Classic® with a special promotion of buy one get one free from now until Monday, September 2 for general admission $20 tickets,” Watson said. “We hope the city of Indianapolis will come out and support the Circle City Classic® as it is so much more than a game.
Tickets are available now for the 40th Anniversary of the Circle City Classic® by logging on to ticketmaster.com. Ticketmaster fees apply to all tickets purchased online. Tickets can also be purchased at the Lucas Oil Stadium box office. For more information, visit www.circlecityclassic.com.
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