Three Innovators Shaping The HBCU eSports Universe
(iStock/Getty Images)
Written By: Ryan Shepard
It is no secret that historically Black colleges and universities have produced some of the best athletes in the world. From Steve McNair to Jerry Rice, HBCUs have developed some of the best NFL players in history. On the basketball court, Ben Wallace, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and Willis Reed have made their way to NBA glory. Not to be forgotten, Wilma Rudolph, John Carlos and Tommie Smith have delivered Olympic moments that will never be forgotten. HBCU athletes will never leave the physical playing eld, but they are expanding into a digital eld moving forward.
Each year, the presence of Esports are growing across HBCU campuses. Companies Verizon, McDonald’s and Walmart are investing in key HBCU Esports events. Also, former NBA player J.R. Smith, recording artist Cordae and several other public gures have co-signed the movement. As the Esports space continues to expand at Black colleges around the nation, there are a number of organizations working behind the scenes to make it all happen. To get to know who and what is making this all go down, here are three organizations to learn about as the HBCU Esports movement evolves.
Cxmmunity
(Cxmmunity | Instagram)
About: Our mission is to increase the participation of minorities within the esports and video game industry so that there is an equal opportunity as new jobs and professions are being created. We do this by helping minority youth develop skills within business-management and STEAM by exposing them and providing access to video game publishers, lm productions, sports and entertainment executives, professional athletes, and world-renowned artists.
Social(s): Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Major Initiatives: HBCU Esports League Verizon Celebrity Pro-Am | Howard University Gaming Lab
Gaming Community Network (GCN)
(Gaming Community Network)
About: GCN builds bespoke strategy solutions for reaching the young gaming & esports audience from content creation to full-scale tournaments for any endpoint be it social, broadcast TV or live stream.
Social(s): Instagram | LinkedIn
Major Partnerships: Annual Madden NFL Tournament | Roc Nation Partnership
Black Collegiate Gaming Association
(Black Collegiate Gaming Network)
About: The Black Collegiate Gaming Association’s purpose is to pivot black and women of color college students into the overall gaming industry, not only as consumers, but as contributors. We strive to build-up students that will be prepared to interview and become a part of the gaming industry both on the competitive and corporate level. We will aide in creating future groundbreakers.
Social(s): Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Major Partnerships: Black Collegiate Gaming Associate Scholarship and Summit | Corners To Colleges HBCU
Article in Partnership with Def Pen