Notre Dame-Miami will cap a jampacked Labor Day Weekend this season when it airs as ABC's yearly Labor Day Eve game. While it is a much-anticipated matchup, it puts other matchups in the area in flux.
The Orange Blossom Classic moves from Labor Day Sunday to the previous day since it shares a Hard Rock Stadium with the Hurricanes. The Orange Blossom Classic has been a Labor Day Sunday staple slate since its return in 2021. The move is a substantial blow to the Classic's national exposure as it benefitted from the limited Sunday afternoon slate and ESPN/ESPN2 TV slot in prior years.
The Orange Blossom Classic's misfortune is the Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCHOF) Classic's victory. The BCHOF Classic in Canton is also a Labor Day Eve staple but resides in relative anonymity on the NFL Network. Despite taking place on a light Sunday afternoon slate, the Orange Blossom Classic overshadows its Canton competitor in the TV ratings game. The table below compares the Orange Blossom Classic and BCHOF Classic's ratings since 2021:
| Year | OBC Viewership | OBC Nielsen Rating | BCHOF Viewership | BCHOF Nielson Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 700,000 | 0.42 | 315,000 | 0.2 |
| 2022 | 958,000 | 0.57 | 200,000 | 0.11 |
| 2023 | 438,000 | 0.25 | 168,000 | 0.09 |
| 2024 | 686,000 | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Average | 695,500 | 0.41 | 227,667 | 0.13 |
Sources: Sportsmediawatch.com, Hbcusports.com, ShowBuzzDaily.com
The Orange Blossom Classic consistently won the ratings battle against the BCHOF Classic. The margin was never close. Now, the BCHOF Classic can take centerstage without competition from the Miami classic. NFL Network needs the BCHOF Classic to succeed.
The BCHOF Classic is the only college game aired by the network. Not only did the weekly Group of Five games disappear in 2024, but the Brick City Classic, which NFL Network broadcasted in 2023, also quietly fizzled. This leaves the NFL Network with just one live college game all season. For obvious reasons, there is not much reason for even the most diehard NFL fan to watch NFL Network when there is live college football on TV. The BCHOF can bring some much-needed viewers to the network just before the NFL season kicks off.
The increased exposure could be enough to attract an FCS HBCU for the first time since 2021. Although the BCHOF has given Division II HBCUs excellent exposure, FCS HBCUs are more likely to bring more casual viewers. The lack of TV competition from the Orange Blossom Classic could lure marquee matchups like Southern-Mississippi Valley State or Jackson State-Hampton.
Labor Day Sunday will look off without the Orange Blossom Classic. However, the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic looks primed to reenter the consciousness of many college football fans with less TV competition.
