1977 Hall of Fame Club to attend 50th consecutive Hall of Fame Game this year
Some high school reunions are dreaded. Others, like the kind that bring you back annually to the hallowed halls of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, are circled on the calendar months in advance.
Since 1977, John Niedzialek has reunited every summer with members of his Eastlake North High School (Ohio) graduating class to attend the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the club’s first game, a 20-6 Chicago Bears win over the New York Jets.
“I’m a big Chicago Bears fan,” Niedzialek said in a recent interview with the Hall of Fame. “I decided to get tickets for me and my high school buddies, and that’s how it started. After a few years, we started calling ourselves the 1977 Hall of Fame Club.”
Niedzialek and two other members of the club, Ron Rositani and Ken Jones, have attended every Pro Football Hall of Fame Game for the last 49 years without a miss. Also in consistent attendance was Brad Barlow, who passed away two years ago. A rotating group of up to seven guests, including friends and family, have intermittently made the trip to Canton with Niedzialek, Rositani and Jones to watch the NFL season kick off.
The three longtime friends typically travel to Canton together, as Niedzialek drives from Concord Township in Ohio to pick up Jones (Aurora, Ohio) and Rositani (Lake County, Ohio). The 1977 Hall of Fame Club finds a local spot to tailgate before entering Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
“We definitely travel together and, you know, we do a little tailgating of course,” said Niedzialek.
This year, Niedzialek and the 1977 Hall of Fame Club will be in Canton, Ohio, to celebrate their 50th anniversary while watching the Carolina Panthers face the Arizona Cardinals.
Tickets for the 2026 Hall of Fame Game presented by Novartis can be purchased here.
The events surrounding the Sugardale Fan Fest’26, a multi-day celebration welcoming the newest Hall of Fame class to Canton, are detailed below.
Schedule of events
Aug. 6
Hall of Fame Game presented by Novartis (Panthers vs. Cardinals)
Aug. 7
Hall of Famer Walk presented by Smith+Nephew
Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner presented by Haggar
Aug. 8
Grand Parade presented by Certified Angus Beef
Class of 2026 Enshrinement
Aug. 9
Class of 2026 Unscripted & Tailgate presented by Employers Health
Raising Cane’s Concert for Legends
Check out our 2026 Enshrinement Week Fan Guide to get tickets and more information.
