BOSTON, July 13, 2022 – The Basketball Tournament (TBT) — the $1 million, winner-take-all summer basketball event broadcast live on ESPN networks — and E&J Brandy today announced the renewal of their partnership. E&J Brandy has been the official spirit of The Basketball Tournament since 2020.
As part of the partnership, E&J Brandy will continue to sponsor HBCUnited, the only team in TBT’s field composed of players entirely from historically black colleges and universities. E&J and HBCUnited first teamed up in 2021 as the team competed in the West Virginia Regional. This summer, HBCUnited will compete in TBT’s Rucker Park Regional, to be played at Greg
Marius Court in New York City’s legendary Rucker Park.
HBCUnited’s roster will feature 10 players representing eight different HBCUs, including Hampton, Maryland Eastern Shore, Bethune Cookman, Norfolk State, Texas Southern, Morgan State, Winston-Salem State, and Jackson State. Rob Jones, the head coach at Norfolk State, will also serve as the head coach of HBCUnited.
In honor of the HBCUnited team, TBT will also be launching a paid internship, sponsored by E&J Brandy, for two HBCU students or recent graduates to join TBT’s staff for the 2023 event to gain experience in the fields of business, sports management, marketing, or journalism. To apply, interested HBCU students or alumni must submit a resume and video, and answer a series of prompts at EJTBT.com. Applications will be accepted until Aug. 31.
In addition, E&J has partnered with Tones of Melanin, an apparel business owned by HBCU alumnus Ashley Jones, to create custom apparel for fans of HBCUnited this year. HBCUnited fans can also go to EJTBT.com starting July 13 to enter to win the four-piece HBCUnited x E&J Brandy collection designed by Jones.
HBCUnited TBT 2021
Lastly, E&J Brandy will celebrate the hustle of this year’s TBT field by awarding a $10,000 prize to the team that has the best postgame celebration. The winner will be selected by E&J’s longtime creative partner Spice Adams.
“We are excited to call E&J Brandy a partner for a third consecutive year,” said TBT founder and CEO Jon Mugar. “They continue to find creative ways to celebrate the uniqueness of TBT. We’re especially excited they will be supporting the HBCUnited team at Rucker Park in addition to awarding $10,000 to whichever team has the most creative post-game bracket celebration during this year’s event.”
For more information on HBCUnited, the HBCU internship program, and the partnership between E&J Brandy and TBT, visit EJTBT.com and TheTournament.com.
About The Basketball Tournament
The home of the Elam Ending®, The Basketball Tournament has grown from a unique idea among friends to one of the most exciting and engaging events on the summer sports calendar, with worldwide exposure on ESPN and events across the country – culminating in a winner-take-all $1 million game. Every year it attracts some of the best players in the world. For more information on TBT’s ninth season, visit www.thetournament.com.