Between now and Super Bowl LVI, HBCU students will compete for glory and receive behind-the-scenes access at EA in the second iteration of the tournament.
As the NFL turns the corner on the midway point of the season, the league is already preparing for the Super Bowl. Historically Black College and University students will compete in the second annual Madden NFL 22 x HBCU Tournament with EA Sports to celebrate the impact of HBCUs.
Registration for the tournament opens today and will go through Dec. 3 with limited slots for an online, single-elimination qualifier on Dec. 5. The top 16 finalists will compete in Los Angeles during Super Bowl week and will be additionally gifted an “experienceship” in which they’ll spend time with EA’s staff to engage with various departments within the company.
Participants will also tour the NFL’s new west coast headquarters and shadow NFL leaders for a day to provide development and networking opportunities to the students. The remaining two competitors will play for cash prizes at the NFL’s west coast headquarters located near SoFi Stadium in Hollywood Park.
The matchup will be available to stream on the NFL’s official YouTube and Twitch channels.
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“We are so thrilled to bring back this tournament for HBCU students and offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience to come to Los Angeles during Super Bowl LVI Week,” said Natara Holloway, Vice President of Football Strategy and Business Development for the NFL. “We want to expand the League’s efforts to create inclusive opportunities for the next generation of talent with partners like EA providing not only a chance for students to compete, but also the chance to learn the intricacies of business through practical learning and shadowing experiences.”
The league will partner with the Gaming Community Network (GCN, Inc.), a GameSquare Esports subsidiary who will manage all operations. This includes things like registration, online tournament execution, player communication, competitive integrity and a professional broadcast.
“We are so honored to be working with the NFL on this incredibly important initiative to capture the passion of gaming among HBCU students,” said Chris Kindt, CMO for GCN. “We are confident our team with deep roots in esports and gaming will deliver an exciting tournament capped off by the exhilaration of competing during Super Bowl LVI.”
