HBCU GO sets 2027 SWAC basketball slate starting Jan. 2

Allen Media Group’s HBCU GO will open its 2027 men’s and women’s basketball schedule on Jan. 2 with Bethune-Cookman at Florida A&M. The 20-game SWAC slate runs through March 4 and will air across broadcast, streaming and digital platforms.

Why it matters: - HBCU GO is giving Southwestern Athletic Conference basketball a national platform across broadcast and streaming outlets. - The 20-game schedule puts rivalries, school pride and conference title races in front of a wider audience. - The slate extends exposure for the SWAC’s 12 member institutions and their student-athletes.

What happened: - Allen Media Group’s HBCU GO announced its 2027 men’s and women’s basketball schedule on Oct. 7, 2026. - The season tips off Jan. 2, 2027, with Bethune-Cookman at Florida A&M. - The SWAC schedule runs through March 4. - The March 4 Florida A&M game at Bethune-Cookman will be simulcast on HBCUGO.TV and theGrio.

The details: - HBCU GO called itself the leading media provider for the nation’s 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. - Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman split both their men’s and women’s regular-season meetings last season. - The home team won each of those games. - The men’s games between Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman were decided by four points apiece last season. - The women’s games between Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman were decided by seven total points across the two meetings. - Grambling State and Southern will meet twice after Southern swept both the men’s and women’s series last season. - Prairie View A&M’s men beat Texas Southern earlier this year in their matchup. - Texas Southern’s women won both meetings against Prairie View A&M last season. - Alabama A&M and Alabama State will meet in a Feb. 27 doubleheader. - Alabama A&M and Alabama State split their men’s series last season. - Alabama A&M’s men won the first meeting by four points. - Alabama State’s men won the rematch by one point. - Alabama A&M’s women swept Alabama State last season by a combined 17 points.

Between the lines: - The schedule leans into close, familiar matchups that already have built-in drama. - HBCU GO and the SWAC are using rivalry games to deepen viewer interest and reinforce the conference’s brand. - Byron Allen framed HBCU basketball as a community event that connects students, alumni and local fans. - SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland said the partnership has delivered unprecedented exposure and brand awareness for the conference and its member schools.

What’s next: - Fans can watch HBCU GO basketball on broadcast syndication in major U.S. markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas and Atlanta. - Streaming options include the HBCU GO FAST Channel on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, The Roku Channel, Local Now, the HBCU GO mobile app and HBCUGO.tv. - Viewers can check complete viewing options at HBCUGO.tv. - HBCU GO said the full 2027 schedule is attached to the announcement.

The bottom line: - HBCU GO is turning SWAC basketball into a season-long showcase of rivalry games, close finishes and broader national visibility.