The NFL announced that registration is now open for the fourth annual EA SPORTS Madden NFL 24 x HBCU Tournament, an event designed for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that have a passion for gaming and football. The tournament aims to maintain the tradition of providing students at HBCUs with a chance to compete and explore the business of sports through practical learning and job shadowing experiences at the NFL Pro Bowl Games in Orlando on February 4, 2024.
Students will have three paths to qualify for the HBCU Championship during the NFL Pro Bowl Games: open qualifiers, women's qualifiers, and HBCU video applications. All undergraduate and graduate students attending an HBCU school are eligible to participate. The qualifiers will be held from October through December, and students can compete in Madden NFL 24 on PC, Xbox Series X or S, or PlayStation 5 systems. The top three players from both the open and women's qualifiers will advance to the HBCU Championship.
HBCU students can also participate by submitting a video application explaining why they should attend the HBCU Championship. Submissions are now open and will be accepted until December 1. The top two winners will be selected based on NFL criteria.
The top eight players selected from the qualifiers and video applications will experience the NFL Pro Bowl Games on a whole new level. Students will participate in onsite media interviews before, during and after competitive play, as well as shadow NFL executives to learn about the business of sports. They will tour Camping World Stadium, interact with NFL players and receive a media pass for field access to the game. They will also have a chance to win cash and prizes throughout the tournament.
REGISTER TO COMPETE IN THE MADDEN NFL 24 X HBCU TOURNAMENT HERE
Qualifier 1: October 28 [Top 2 advance Qualifiers Finals]
Qualifier 2: November 4 [Top 2 advance Qualifiers Finals]
Qualifier 3: November 11 [Top 2 advance Qualifiers Finals]
Qualifier 4: November 18 [Top 2 advance Qualifiers Finals]
Open Qualifiers Finals: December 2 [Top 3 advance to Pro Bowl Games]
Women's Qualifiers Finals: December 9 [Top 3 advance to Pro Bowl Games]
Video Applications Open: Now through December 1
“Each year, the Madden Tournament showcases the top gaming talent within the HBCU community and provides students access to industry experts and career opportunities," said Arthur McAfee, NFL SVP of Football Operations, Pipeline Development. “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."
The NFL will partner with Rally Cry, a gaming technology company that builds inclusive gaming experiences for players of all ages and skill levels, who will be managing the marketing, qualifiers, registration, tournament execution and broadcast. The highlights from the tournament will be broadcasted on the NFL YouTube channel ahead of the NFL Pro Bowl Games and Super Bowl LVIII.
For more information about the Madden NFL 24 x HBCU Tournament, visit https://hbcutournament.nfl.com/.
