HOUSTON, Tx — Charlie Neal, the legendary architect of modern HBCU sports broadcasting and the lead play-by-play voice of HBCU GO, has died at the age of 81 following an illness that had sidelined him last season.  Neal is survived by his wife and family. He died on May 13, 2026. For more than four decades, Neal sat at midcourt or in the press box and delivered what no one else in American sports media did at the scale he did it. He told the most compelling stories of historically Black colleges and universities, their coaches, players, administrators, stadiums, arenas, and campuses. He gave them all weight and historical relevance. "Charlie was underrated for his impact on sports," Curtis Symonds said to HBCU Legends. "I consider him the 'John Madden' of Black College Sports. Who's been involved with Black college football for 50 years like Charlie? He was a historian. He was a proven product because he's lived it, and he would give you history and give you anything that no one else could give you.…