Beloved College Football Announcer Charlie Neal Dead at 80

Tributes are pouring in after a longtime, beloved college football announcer has died at 80 years old.

Charlie Neal, a legendary college football and college basketball announcer, known best for his calls of some iconic HBCU games, passed away following an illness. HBCU GameDay confirmed the news.

The college football and basketball world is deeply saddened.

"Charlie Neal, the pioneering HBCU broadcaster whose voice helped carry Black college sports into homes across America, has died following an illness. He spent the majority of his 80 years building a career defined by preparation, reverence, and historical purpose," they reported.

"Born on Oct. 28, 1945, Neal became far more than a play-by-play announcer. He became one of the clearest voices explaining why HBCU sports mattered. At a time when Black college football and basketball were often ignored by major television networks, Neal helped create a platform that treated those games with dignity and care."

In the wake of his death, tributes are pouring in online.

Fans, media saddened by his death

He's been called a "legend."

"I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Charlie Neal on several occasions but, what I will always remember were the simple conversations that we had whenever I saw him. RIP," one wrote.

"One of the great voices of early BET with HBCU football games. Smooth voice that will be missed! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾," one added.

"Charlie is the one most responsible for me becoming a broadcaster. Taught me the craft and gave me a great opportunity to work along side him at BET! RIP to my friend and mentor," one added.

"This is truly sad news. Charlie was a legend, a mentor, and a friend. I was really hoping he would return to the booth this fall. I has the honor of working his final basketball game on HBCUGO last season. It didn't occur to me at the time. It always felt like he would be here," one added.

ESPN's Burke Magnus added his own tribute.

"GOAT. Critical to the success of HBCU games on the ESPN nets since the very beginning. Charlie gave us instant credibility with fans," he shared.

May he rest in peace.

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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 5:39 PM.