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HBCU Heroes, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing Historically Black College and University (HBCU) students and schools with scholarships and resources, is hosting a charity Esports tournament on Wednesday, December 16th. Rather than a tip-off on a basketball court, pro athletes and gamers will compete on the virtual courts of NBA2K. A planned $50,000 will be awarded in scholarships, prizes and collegiate Esports lab funding to HBCUs.
Gamers of all skill levels who are currently-enrolled HBCU students can compete alongside pro athletes like Chicago Bears running back and HBCU alum Tarik Cohen and NBA veteran Etan Thomas. Cohen will play against pro NBA2K gamer Sheriff Cruz (aka “FTW”) in an exhibition match, and HBCU Heroes will donate $3,500 per exhibition match to the winner and runner up’s selected HBCUs to expand and advance collegiate Esports programs.
HBCU Heroes hopes this charity fundraiser will be a gateway for HBCU gamers, especially those who want to take their gaming skills from the couch to a collegiate Esports team. The charity recognizes a “digital divide” between Black students and their access to technology, for gaming or otherwise. Therefore, they’ll be donating gaming consoles to several returning HBCU Heroes tournament gamers to allow them to compete in Wednesday’s tournament. HBCU Heroes also plans to launch a HBCU Esports league in January, with the focus of increasing access to media, STEM and STEAM careers for HBCU students.
Interested in joining the tournament? Visit the tournament’s registration page here for more information and a registration form. Be sure to check out Scholarships.com’s growing list of Esports scholarships as well!