Here’s the comparison of TV viewership numbers between women’s and men’s title games announced by Roberts: 

• The women’s title game between South Carolina and Iowa attracted an average of 18.7 million viewers.
• During Connecticut’s back-to-back national championship campaign, the men’s title game averaged less at 14.8 million.

There’s a massive disparity in television rights revenue by gender:

• The NCAA Women’s Tournament earned $6.5 million for its television rights with ESPN.
• The NCAA Men’s Tournament’s television rights with CBS, TNT, TBS, and truTV generated a significantly higher revenue of $873 million.
• The percentage difference in revenue highlights a disparity of 99%, according to Rachel Bachman.

The new eight-year, $920 million contract with ESPN, agreed upon in January, could potentially usher in a transformative era for women’s basketball.

Ralph D. Russo predicts that the deal, which grants the network exclusive rights to “40 championships, including the Division I women’s basketball tournament,” could be a game-changer. NCAA president Charlie Baker estimates that an “impressive 57% of the value of the deal — or $65 million annually — is tied to the women’s March Madness tournament.”   

Founder Travis Williams’ public relations team, Mahogany Xan Communications,  didn’t have an HBCU school in Arizona to market the event’s third installment. Still, his people produced a masterclass in community engagement and strategic marketing efforts. They worked tirelessly to engage local businesses, universities, and city officials well ahead of the event.

Here are three critical takeaways for how inclusive engagement leads to overwhelming success:

Strategic Partnerships 

The PR team understood the importance of developing early and strong community ties in Phoenix. They partnered with local businesses, civic leaders, city officials, and significant sponsors, even in an area with no HBCU presence.

Inclusive Marketing 

The inclusive marketing efforts beyond HBCUs to the local and surrounding universities, Greek organizations, and social clubs demonstrate the unifying power of sports and community.

Diversified Outreach  

The approach included not just HBCU fans but also broader demographics, suggesting integration with local culture and businesses as a key to replicating this success in future events.

Special thanks to our Founding Sponsor @aflacduck on their generous donation to continue supporting our HBCU student-athletes. #hbcuallstargame #thebestinblackcollegebasketball pic.twitter.com/iOiTIRiByJ

— HBCU All-Star Game (@HBCUAllStarGame) April 8, 2024

In Phoenix, Black business leaders were pivotal in promoting the event and actively partaking in its planning. The synergy between the event and black entrepreneurs is a blueprint worth replicating.  

The HBCU All-Star Game’s foray into Phoenix has laid down a marker on how to engage and excite a regional audience, demonstrating that the appeal of HBCU sports transcends geographical and institutional boundaries.

Year 3⃣ Sold out arena pic.twitter.com/8QOTqdh9Vl

— HBCU All-Star Game (@HBCUAllStarGame) April 8, 2024

As the fourth annual HBCU All-Star Game heads to San Antonio, partnerships with Black and Hispanic businesses could be formed, offering access to a diverse economic and cultural pool.

This spring, students across four HBCUs — Norfolk State University, Hampton University, Jackson State University and Morgan State University — will have a shot at more than $333,000 in scholarships and prizes, including a chance to secure an NIL deal traditionally reserved for student-athletes, giving a student a first-of-its-kind opportunity to become one of the new faces of STARRY.   The winner will get an all-expenses paid trip to Kia NBA Tip-Off later this year. And like a true star with an NIL deal, their name, image and likeness will be featured on promotional materials for STARRY FIZZ FEST 2.0.  

No stranger to holding his own in an arena, Lil Durk is showing students how any fan can have the skills to win and will be making a surprise campus appearance to check out the competition.

“Being competitive doesn’t just apply to sport, life itself is about hunger, drive and teamwork.  This initiative is about rewarding students for their grind on and off the court, showing love and supporting our people while chasing their dreams,” Lil Durk said.   For the stars off the court, STARRY is also partnering with the PepsiCo Foundation to unlock $80,000 in scholarships across the four universities.   The PepsiCo Foundation will award $20,000 to one student at each university to go towards their education to help foster their long-term educational and professional growth.  Eligible students can apply online.

“Our mission with STARRY FIZZ FEST is to bring the excitement to basketball fans that the brand is known for while rewarding HBCU students for their passion, amplifying their talent, and offering opportunities that positively impact these universities, their students and their communities,” Kent Montgomery, Senior Vice President, Industry Relations and Multicultural Development, PepsiCo said.

STARRY FIZZ FEST will tip off at Norfolk State University on March 29, followed by Hampton University on April 1, Jackson State University on April 20 and Morgan State University on April 26. Participating students will get the chance to play S-T-A-R-R-Y (a spin on the popular game of H-O-R-S-E), 3PT Knockout (a three-point shootout contest reflective of the STARRY NBA All-Star and HBCU Classic tailgate footprint), and Shaky Shot (inspired by the classic arcade game, with a moving backboard) to claim prizes like STARRY merch and gift cards. For the game of S-T-A-R-R-Y, students will have three minutes to earn six letters by successfully scoring specified shots around the court until a participant spells out S-T-A-R-R-Y where the fastest time on campus wins. One winner from each school will represent their campus at a final competition to showcase their skills and earn major bragging rights.

Formula One – Lewis Hamilton

Sir Lewis Hamilton announced he’s leaving Mercedes to take over for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari in 2025. Before the move, Hamilton projected compensation for 2024-25 will be $45 million. He ranks No. 2 behind Max Verstappen’s $55 million.

As it enters its historic 10th season, the A7FL has become well known for its gritty authentic style and over-the-top highlights as the no helmets no pads tackle league has carved out a unique niche for younger fans looking for fast paced action.

The league boasts 34 teams across the country, 850k social media followers, and numerous distribution partnerships in addition to streaming on A7FL.TV. Its 2024 season runs from March 24 to July 21 with games starting at 1, 4 and 7 PM ET. This Sunday’s games include:

• 1 PM ET: Baltimore Watchman vs Paterson U
• 4 PM ET: Rahway Shnow Tribe vsTrenton BIC
• 7 PM ET: Vegas Force vs Las Vegas Insomniacs

Urban Edge Network is renowned for HBCU+ and its comprehensive coverage of HBCU games, Pay-Per-View sporting events, original sports shows, curated films, podcasts, and more. With the HBCU+, viewers can enjoy non-televised black college games anytime and anywhere, making it a must-have streaming service for HBCU college sports enthusiasts.

The partnership with Urban Edge Network represents a significant step forward for the A7FL as it seeks to engage with a diverse audience base and strengthen its presence in the streaming market. By leveraging Urban Edge Networks’ diverse audience, the A7FL – with 75% of players identifying as African American and viewership that over-indexes with African Americans – aims to enhance its brand visibility and connect on a deeper level with this core demographic.

Todd Brown, Co- Founder and CEO of Urban Edge Network, expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating, “We are thrilled to partner with the A7FL to bring high-quality football content to our audience. This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to provide authentic and engaging experiences for the HBCU community.”

Sener Korkusuz, Co-founder, and CEO of the A7FL, highlighted the strategic significance of the partnership, saying, “Partnering with Urban Edge Network extends the A7FL’s distribution network to a broader audience reach that fits perfectly into our streaming strategy. We look forward to bringing the excitement of A7FL football to HBCU fans across the nation.”

About Urban Edge Network and HBCU Plus

Urban Edge Network was curated to level the playing field and provide a platform for diverse voices. As part of the UEN family of brands, HBCU Plus is an ad-supported Black College Sports Network, delivering 24/7 access to live and on-demand Historically Black Colleges and i!Universities games, sporting events, original sports shows, curated films, podcasts, and more. The HBCU Plus app is available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung TV, iOS, and Android.

ABOUT AMERICAN 7S FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Entering its 10th season, the American 7s Football League (A7FL) has pioneered a familiar yet completely new format for America’s most popular sport: 7-on-7 football without helmets or hard-shell pads. The A7FL’s unique format retains the toughness that fans of all ages crave. At the same time, its gameplay delivers action-filled performances that generate tens of millions of views and attract a new, younger audience (more than 75% are 18-34).

Founded in 2014 by CEO Sener Korkusuz and President Ryan DePaul, the Spring league (April-July) also added UFC® Co-Founder David Isaacs to its ranks and has grown to 36 teams in 10 divisions across the country with over 850K social media followers and partnerships with Caffeine.TV, DAZN, Stadium, and WAVE.tv. To experience A7FL action, go to A7FL.tv, follow us on TikTok and Instagram @a7fl or email info@a7fl.com