Florida Beach Bowl, UEN Empowers HBCU Conferences With Postseason Football

The new HBCU postseason bowl game dispels the notion that HBCU football programs are limited to the Celebration Bowl or NCAA Divisional playoffs games.

HOUSTON — HBCU football fans have been longing for HBCU postseason football events for years. Finally, they will have a new postseason bowl game to attend, watch, and cheer for in 2023. The 2023 Florida Beach Bowl will feature two HBCU football programs from the CIAA and SIAC conferences. Creating a new HBCU postseason bowl game dispels the notion that HBCU football programs are limited to the Celebration Bowl or NCAA Divisional playoffs games. A strong and clear vision was forged through the strategic partnership between the Florida Beach Bowl committee and Urban Edge Network.

Todd Brown has advocated for greater control over the production of HBCU sporting events, including decisions on "how, where, when, and who." Although the bowl game's formation is not unique, it catalyzes fans desiring an option to support HBCU football games during the postseason. Corporations and advertising agencies can invest in NCAA postseason bowl games that attract millions of sponsorship and advertising dollars.

Tuskegee Football; Credit: Malik Melton

For example, Eric Revell of Fox Business wrote in December 2022: "Lower-tier bowl sponsorships for games played in early-to-mid December reportedly cost between $375,000 and $500,000 – an amount that allows smaller companies to get in on the action and build brand recognition." Recent events have opened new opportunities for black media to partner with advertisers interested in the black consumer market after Byron Allen Media's lawsuits against McDonald's and George Floyd's death.

Urban Edge Network will broadcast the 2023 Florida Beach Bowl to 70 million homes and will be streamed on 303 million devices. There will be a press conference at the L.A. Lee YMCA/Mizell Community Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 11:00 AM ET on Thursday, Sept. 14.

"The Florida Beach Bowl is thrilled to announce our partnership with Urban Edge and Impact Network, organizations that share our commitment to supporting and uplifting HBCUs," Victor Robenson, CEO of the Florida Beach Bowl, said about the partnership. "Together, we anticipate a future filled with opportunities and progress as we work to make a positive and lasting impact on these remarkable institutions. The Florida Beach Bowl is proud to embark on this journey towards a brighter future alongside our dedicated partners."

Urban Edge Network (UEN) has announced a partnership to broadcast the inaugural Florida Beach Bowl featuring two teams from the CIAA and SIAC, respectively, with at least six wins during their regular season schedule. The 2023 Florida Beach Bowl will be held at DRV PNK Stadium for a 7:30 PM ET kick-off on Wednesday, Dec. 13. UEN plans to broadcast the competition through its partnership with Impact Network, reaching 70% of US households.

"Urban Edge Network, LLC, is pleased to partner with the Beach Bowl Committee to bring an exciting four days of events in South Florida to the entire national audience on our HBCU+ streaming channel," Todd Brown, Co-Founder and CEO of Urban Edge Network, noted. "Honoring and celebrating HBCU champions with this talented pool of athletes, families, and fans locally in the stadium and nationally on our platform is the perfect way to kick off the holiday bowl season."

Virginia Union running back Jada Byers breaks the tackle of Morehouse's Cameron Selders as he runs for a first-half touchdown in the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023, in Canton. Credit: © Kevin Whitlock / Massillon Independent / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Florida Beach Bowl will have the following events preceding the game on Saturday:

1. Golf Tournament - Dec. 8
2. 5K Run - Dec. 9
3. Prayer Breakfast - Dec. 10
4. Media Day - Dec. 11
5. Coaches Luncheon - Dec. 12

Go to https://www.floridabeachbowl.com/ for information about the 2023 Florida Beach Bowl and its events. Tune into HBCU football streaming on UEN's HBCU Plus at https://watch.hbcu-plus.com or use the HBCU Plus app streaming on Roku, Amazon, Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung TV, iOS, and Android.