New Season
Kicks off with Discover, Verizon and Nestlé Hot Pockets as
Sponsors to Push Inclusivity within Gaming Industry
ATLANTA, Sept. 7,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Cxmmunity
Media, a Black-owned organization dedicated to future-proofing
minority representation and equity in the gaming industry announces
the third season of its HBCU Esports League. The new season
kicks off on Tuesday, September 13th and invites
promising student teams from 16 Historically Black Colleges and
Universities to go head-to-head in a series of NBA 2K games. The top two teams will advance to the
"Discover Bowl'' finals presented by Discover, for an
opportunity to win a cash prize of $20,000.
Verizon, HBCU Esports League's first foundational brand
partner, will be returning this year as a title sponsor of the
upcoming season along with Nestlé HOT
POCKETS®, an essential snack for all gamers, who is
making its inaugural debut.
Season three of the HBCU Esports League will air on
Twitch.tv/cxmmunity starting Sept. 13,
2022, at 6:00PM EST and run
for 22 weeks.
Despite the fact that 83% of Black teens identify as gamers,
Black professionals are vastly underrepresented in the gaming
category, only comprising 4% of the industry. The HBCU Esports
League, one of very few Black-owned sports leagues, is working to
change this statistic by providing a unique opportunity to drive
equity in gaming through this platform to allow Black colleges and
students to gain exposure and resources to monetize in esports.
This next series of games follows the momentum and success of the
second HBCU Esports season that wrapped in May and sought celebrity
attention and participation from rapper T-Pain, actor Brett Gray, professional football Champion
Mike Evans and more.
"We are honored to continue our service to the Black community
by creating pathways for gamers of color to reach new heights of
unprecedented access within the gaming industry," says Cxmmunity
Media CEO Ryan Johnson. "As we look
ahead to the new season of the HBCU Esports League, we hope to
continue building the table for the next generation of diverse
gamers to take a seat."
This season's HBCU participation includes: Florida Memorial University, Howard
University, North Carolina Central
University, Claflin University, Oakwood University,
Morris Brown College, Johnson C. Smith University, Wilberforce University, Tennessee State University, Southern University, Morgan
State University, North Carolina
A&T State University, Fayetteville
State University, Benedict
College, Albany State University
and Bowie State University.
"The illustrious Historically Black College and University
community is primed with smart and talented students who we've had
the pleasure of engaging and further cultivating their passions for
three seasons," says Cxmmunity Co-Founder and CMO Chris Peay. "It's
great to see the growth in participants and how more corporate
partners are getting on board to support our ambition of bringing
much needed equity to the gaming industry."
Launched in 2020, the HBCU Esports League was created to remove
barriers of entry for Black students to participate and take
advantage of economic opportunities in esports as a part of
Cxmmunity Media's broader mission of future-proofing diversity in
gaming. Since its inaugural season, the HBCU Esports League has
drawn over 130 student participants from 35 Historically Black
Colleges and Universities.
About Cxmmunity Media
Cxmmunity Media is a collaborative team of innovative thinkers
and doers dedicated to future-proofing diversity and equity in
gaming through strategic partnerships, philanthropy, and
entertainment. Founded in 2019, Cxmmunity Media is on a mission to
increase minority representation in the industry by investing in
the education, economic advancement, and visibility of gamers of
color. As a pathway to leveling the playing field for Black gamers,
Cxmmunity Media created the HBCU Esports League, one of few
Black-owned sports leagues, providing students from Historically
Black Colleges and Universities a safe space to compete and
monetize in esports.
About Discover
Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a digital banking and
payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in
U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company
has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company issues the
Discover® card, America's cash rewards pioneer, and offers private
student loans, personal loans, home loans, checking and savings
accounts and certificates of deposit through its banking business.
It operates the Discover Global Network® comprised of Discover
Network, with millions of merchants and cash access locations;
PULSE®, one of the nation's leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners
Club International®, a global payments network with acceptance
around the world. For more information, visit
www.discover.com/company.
About Nestle USA
Nestlé in the United States is
committed to unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life
for everyone, today and for generations to come. . The company's
food and beverage portfolio include some of the most recognizable
brands in the United States including Hot Pockets, Coffee
Mate and Nestlé Toll House as well as category disruptors such as
Sweet Earth, and are in nearly every home in the country.
Nestlé USA also boasts the largest coffee portfolio in
the U.S. with Nescafé, Nestlé Starbucks Coffee and Chameleon Cold
Brew. With 2019 sales of $11 billion, Nestlé USA is
part of Nestlé S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland — the world's
largest food and beverage company, which has been named among "The
World's Most Admired Food Companies" by Fortune magazine for
twenty-three consecutive years. For product news and information,
visit Nestleusa.com or Facebook.com/NestleUSA.
Press Contacts:
jade@thorpecommunications.com
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SOURCE Cxmmunity