The NFL announced Thursday that it has opened registration for the fourth annual EA Sports Madden NFL x HBCU Tournament, a gaming event focused on students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The event, aimed at students who have an interest in gaming and football, is aimed at providing students at HBCUs a chance to compete and get a taste of both the business of sports through learning and job shadowing. The event will take place on February 4, 2024 at the NFL Pro Bowl Games in Orlando, Fla.
“Each year, the Madden Tournament showcases the top gaming talent within the HBCU community, and provides the students access to industry experts and career opportunities,” said Arthur McAfee, SVP of Football Operations – Pipeline Development at the NFL. “We are excited to provide this platform with new avenues for student involvement via the expanded women’s qualifier and HBCU video applications, and look forward to exposing the top talent to a more in-depth look into the business of sports.”
How to play
To be eligible for the HBCU Championship at the NFL Pro Bowl students have three options: Open Qualifiers, Women’s Qualifiers and HBCU Video Submissions. Both undergraduate and graduate students from HBCU institutions are invited to participate. The qualifying rounds will take place in October, November and December. Participants can compete using Madden NFL 24 on platforms such as PC, Xbox Series X or S and PlayStation 5. The top three participants from both the Women’s Qualifiers will secure their spots in the HBCU Championship scheduled to be held in Orlando.
The top eight players from the qualifiers and video submissions will get an unparalleled experience at the NFL Pro Bowl Games. These students will partake in media interviews onsite before, during and post-competitive play. Additionally, they’ll get the opportunity to accompany NFL executives gaining insights into the sports business. A tour of the Camping World Stadium is on the agenda, along with interactions with NFL players. The eight students be granted a media pass for direct field access during the game and stand a chance to secure cash and other prizes during the tournament.
To qualify, students must take part in one of the following events:
- Qualifier 1: October 28, 2023 [Top 2 advance Qualifiers Finals]
- Qualifier 2: November 4, 2023 [Top 2 advance Qualifiers Finals]
- Qualifier 3: November 11, 2023 [Top 2 advance Qualifiers Finals]
- Qualifier 4: November 18, 2023 [Top 2 advance Qualifiers Finals]
- Open Qualifiers Finals: December 2, 2023 [Top 3 advance to Pro Bowl]
- Women’s Qualifiers Finals: December 9, 2023 [Top 3 advance to Pro Bowl]
- Video Applications Open: Now through December 1, 2023
Students at HBCUs can register for the qualifiers beginning today.