| Status | Active |
|---|---|
| Genre | Basketball tournament |
| Begins | December 26 |
| Ends | December 31 |
| Frequency | Annually, during the last week of December |
| Venue | Viking Hall |
| Location | Bristol, Tennessee |
| Coordinates | 36.5805°N 82.1835°W |
| Country | United States |
| Years active | 42 |
| Established | 1983 |
| Founders | Bill Bingham, Dale Burns |
| Last | December 31, 2025 |
| Attendance | ~30,000 (as of 2016) |
| Sponsor | Toyota of Bristol, formerly Arby's |
| Website | thsclassic.com |
The Classic at Tennessee High School, formerly known as The Arby's Classic,[1] is an annual high school basketball double-elimination tournament that takes place during the last week of December, in Bristol, Tennessee.[2] The five-day tournament is held at Viking Hall by Bristol Tennessee City Schools, the governing school board.[1]
Notable participants include East Tennessee State Buccaneers head coach Brooks Savage,[3] and NBA players Mac McClung[4], Noah Clowney[5], and Tim Hardaway Jr..[6]
History
The tournament was created in 1983 by William "Bill" Bingham and Dale Burns as the Mountain Empire Classic.[7] AES Restaurant Group, an Arby's franchisee that operated within the area, sponsored the tournament in exchange for naming rights.[1]
In December 2016, the Bristol Chamber of commerce released a study in partnership with AES Restaurant Group stating that the direct economic impact of the Arby's Classic is $1.59 million annually, with a direct impact of $3.4 million. The report also provides an average spectator count of 30,000.[8]
In July 2024, BTCS announced they were renaming the tournament as they were unable to come to an agreement with AES Restaurant Group, citing disagreements over naming rights.[1] AES owner, John Wade, noted that "they decided to end our relationship because they wanted to take our money but they didn't want to call it the Arby's Classic."[9] BTCS revealed in August that Toyota of Bristol became their title sponsor.[10]
Tournament Champions
References
- ^ "Bristol, Tenn. City Schools unveils rebranded holiday basketball tournament ‘The Classic’". WJHL 11. 2024-07-23. Archived 2024-12-28 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2026-03-14.
- ^ Johnson, Cole (2024-09-19). "Arby's Classic basketball tournament finds home at Virginia High beginning in 2025". WCYB. Retrieved 2026-03-14.
- ^ Johnson, Cole (2024-12-24). "A Classic Memory: Brooks Savage reflects on experience playing in The Classic". WCYB. Retrieved 2026-03-14.
- ^ Floyd, Josh (2017-12-29). "ARBY'S CLASSIC: McClung's 44 leads Gate City over Fern Creek". The Bristol Herald Courier. Archived 2026-03-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2026-03-15.
- ^ Hayes, Tim (2021-12-27). "2021 ARBY'S CLASSIC: Clowney leads Dorman past Abingdon, 91-27". The Bristol Herald Courier. Archived 2021-12-30 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2026-03-15.
- ^ Hayes, Tim (2024-12-25). "THE CLASSIC: Where's the (Roast) Beef? No longer sponsored by Arby's, it's still The Classic and here's a look at all 18 teams in the event". The Bristol Herald Courier. Archived 2024-12-27 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2026-03-15.
- ^ "Bill Bingham | Viking Athletics". Viking Athletics. Retrieved Mar 14, 2026.
- ^ Smolka, Maggie (2016-12-28). "Arby's Classic brings $1M-plus to...". WCYB. Retrieved 2026-03-14.
- ^ Johnson, Cole (2024-09-19). "Arby's Classic basketball tournament finds home at Virginia High beginning in 2025". WCYB. Retrieved 2026-03-14.
- ^ Lee, Murry (Aug 27, 2024). "Toyota of Bristol named new sponsor of The Classic basketball tournament". WJHL 11. Retrieved Mar 14, 2026.
- ^ "High school boys basketball: Mentor falls in Arby’s Classic final". News-Herald. 2012-12-31. Retrieved 2026-03-14.