Under Kenneth Blakeney’s leadership, Howard University men’s basketball has gone from being an underappreciated HBCU sport to becoming a rising mid-major force. However, in Blakeney’s opinion, winning consecutive MEAC crowns and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament are only the beginning. In order to change his program, Blakeney is seeking investors. To stay relevant in college basketball, he has come up with a plan to sell investors and private equity firms a third of the program for $100 million. According to Blakeney,
via the Washington Post, “I don’t want to have a two-tiered system where we’re not able to compete for the NCAA tournament or the national championship.” “And based on what I’m hearing right now, it’s quite possible that the NCAA tournament will just feature those Power Four colleges and maybe the Big East, leaving out everyone else. I did not sign up for it. Kenny Blakeney, head coach of Howard University,
celebrates winning the MEAC Tournament in 2023. (Photo credit: HBCU Gameday/Steven J. Gaither) Blakeney has come up with a three-way income split in which a third goes to the investors, the school, and the program. The funds would be used to pay players and improve the team’s stadium and practice space,
including acquiring naming rights. Additionally, it would depart from the MEAC and could become independent or join a larger program.
The basketball program at the HBCU in Washington, D.C. has seen significant transformation since Kenny Blakeney took over. His direction has made the squad competitive, which has resulted in notable successes in the last several seasons.
