CBS Sports announces multi-year agreement to broadcast HBCU All-Star Game.
The annual college basketball showcase will begin in 2022
CBS Sports has partnered to create the HBCU All-Star Game, which is a college basketball showcase that will feature some of the best HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) players in the nation. The event will begin in 2022 in New Orleans and will be played on the Sunday of Final Four weekend in the Big Easy.
The annual HBCU All-Star Game will be broadcasted on the CBS Television Network. In addition to the HBCU All-Star Game, ViacomCBS has announced a multi-year commitment to HBCUs with “the creation of an annual scholarship fund and internship opportunities in an effort to foster, highlight, identify and recruit the many talented and accomplished students from all HBCUs.”
“At CBS Sports, we share ViacomCBS’ strong belief that diversity, equity and inclusion are integral to creating meaningful change and opportunities for our employees,” CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said in a press release. “We are proud to partner with Coach Williams, HBCU All-Stars LLC and HBCUs across the country to support the next generation of leaders and we are excited to provide a national platform for this All-Star game to celebrate and honor the rich history, tradition and contributions of HBCUs to the sport of college basketball.”
“We are excited about the opportunity to showcase HBCU student-athletes and coaches on a national stage during college basketball’s biggest weekend,” HBCU All-Stars LLC founder Travis L. Williams added. “This historic endeavor with CBS Sports will raise national awareness of our prestigious HBCUs and our long legacy of academic and athletic achievement. This is far more than a game; it will include the entire HBCU cultural experience. As a Black-owned sports marketing company, it is a true blessing to be in a position to amplify the Black history and excellence that has too often been overlooked. New Orleans is the perfect location for this inaugural event and we look forward to a bright future in the years to come.”
There will also be an HBCU All-Star Game Experience, which will be a week-long festival beginning on the Tuesday before the All-Star Game and wrapping up the Tuesday following the National Championship game. The festival will focus on celebrating “Black culture, Black excellence and Black history through the HBCU Experience and will be highlighted by a college admissions fair.”