GCN Introduces ESPN's Tiffany Green and XSET's Erin Ashley Simon as Hosts for the 3rd Annual Madden NFL x HBCU Tournament

New way to enter contest expands opportunity for HBCU student participation with video submission entry for "Experienceship" during Super Bowl LVII Week

Student finalists will receive a ticket to Super Bowl LVII

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GCN (Gaming Community Network), a GameSquare Esports company, announced today ESPN Commentator Tiffany Green and XSET's Chief Culture Officer and Co-Owner Erin Ashley Simon will serve as hosts for the third annual EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL x HBCU Tournament. The tournament, led by the National Football League, is designed to reach students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that have a passion for gaming and football. In addition to the previously announced rewards for winners including cash, travel, and prizes, valued at $70,000, newly added prizing provides the student finalists with a ticket to Super Bowl LVII, which the group will attend together.

"Gaming can be used as a vehicle for success and especially for the Black Community," said Erin Ashley Simon. "Although I didn't go to an HBCU, I have family members and friends who have, and I've been able to witness how important elements of community, self-identity, and opportunities are at these colleges and universities. I truly believe the same way HBCUs create change is the same way that gaming can too."

Tiffany Green added, "This is a phenomenal opportunity for HBCU gamers to use their love for Madden to experience an inside look at the NFL."

The top 16 tournament and video submission qualifiers will learn the intricacies of the business of sports through practical learning and job shadowing experiences at the NFL, during Super Bowl LVII week in Glendale, Arizona. For those who elect not to compete in the qualifiers, fans can submit a two-minute video or less on why they want a career in gaming and esports and what they want to learn while job shadowing with the NFL. Selected winners will punch their tickets to Glendale along with the tournament finalists. Videos can be submitted at www.hbcutournament.nfl.com/studentshowcase starting November 9, 2022, through November 30, 2022.

Deion 'Coach Prime' Sanders, NFL Legend and HBCU Head Football Coach at Jackson State University announced on his Instagram this week that the student finalists will receive Super Bowl tickets: "This is an opportunity of a lifetime for these young men and women. To feel the support and love coming all the way from the NFL on this initiative is a tremendous blessing to our whole community. It's a chance for these students to take advantage of an introduction to the NFL that few will get in their lifetime." 

Students will compete for more than $70,000 in cash, travel, and prizes awarded from the NFL and NFL partners including STARTER (G-III Apparel Group), New Era Cap LLC, FANATICS, SOAR, Igloo Products Corp., Zipchair, Fan Creations, Sporticulture, Rico Industries, Inc., and Zippo.

Registration is open for the final two online qualifiers for the Madden NFL x HBCU tournament  https://www.hbcutournament.nfl.com/.

Online Qualifier Schedule:
November 11 (PS5 / Xbox Series X)
November 13 (PS4 / PS5 / Xbox One / Xbox Series X)

The finals will be broadcast from Glendale, AZ, and will air on the NFL YouTube channel Saturday, February 11, 2023, at 3 p.m. ET.

For more information about the Madden NFL 23 x HBCU Tournament, visit HBCUTournament.NFL.com.

For the second year in a row, GCN partnered with the NFL and will be managing the marketing, qualifiers, registration, online tournament execution, and the broadcast.

SOURCE Gaming Community Network