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Circle City Classic shifts to high school football at Lucas Oil Stadium, refocusing fundraising for scholarships

The 42nd Circle City Classic, organized by the Indiana Black Expo with Circle City Broadcasting as a partner, will replace college matchups with boys varsity football and girls flag football at Lucas Oil Stadium and emphasize fundraising for youth scholarships. Organizers say the Classic has awarded more than $5 million in scholarships since 1984.

BUSINESSINDY BRIEFBy BusinessIndy Editorial StaffPublished September 22, 2026 at 11:46 PM EDT

The Indiana Black Expo said the 42nd Circle City Classic is underway and has partnered with Circle City Broadcasting, but organizers are replacing collegiate games with high school competition at Lucas Oil Stadium. The event will spotlight girls flag football and boys varsity football as part of a youth-focused shift organizers described as promoting youth engagement and empowerment.

Organizers said the change supports fundraising for scholarships and noted the Classic has awarded more than $5 million in scholarships to high school students since 1984. The multi-day program listed in the announcement includes a Prayer and Praise worship service on Wednesday, a mental-health symposium on Thursday, a Career Day and networking event on Friday, and a parade plus an HBCU battle of the bands on Saturday.

BusinessIndy examines this development and its implications for Indiana businesses and communities using the linked sources.

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