What’s the news?  
Cricket Wireless is once again teaming up with ESPN Events to host the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff in its hometown of Atlanta. This year’s battle between the Alabama State University Hornets and the Howard University Bison takes place Saturday, Aug. 27 at Center Parc Stadium, and airs on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET.

The Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge provides a national stage to honor the tradition, legacy and values of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) while also showcasing some great collegiate football.

Cricket has been a supporter of the SWAC since 2018 and the MEAC since 2019 through its involvement in sporting events, championship games as well as community programs in conjunction with participating schools.


What are we saying?
“We’re excited to work with ESPN Events, the MEAC and SWAC, to show a national audience what makes the HBCU experience so special—and so important,” said John Dwyer, President of the AT&T Prepaid Portfolio, which includes Cricket Wireless. “Our commitment to HBCUs goes beyond gameday. We’re in the community every day to connect with our customers and support what’s important to them through our Campus Student Ambassadors and our involvement in all MEAC and SWAC sporting events.”

Snapshot of Additional Cricket HBCU Support:
  • Cricket recently announced its expanded support of HBCUs with a new collaboration with The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). This 3-year alliance allows Cricket the opportunity to bring exciting experiences to SIAC fans at all HBCU member schools within the league.
  • The Cricket Wireless Campus Ambassador Program continues to provide a unique opportunity to HBCU students across MEAC, SWAC and SIAC schools. Students in this program gain experience developing and executing marketing plans on their campuses with support from local Cricket Field Marketing Managers and Authorized Retailers. Top performing Ambassadors benefit from opportunities for post-graduation internships with Cricket and our supporting partners.
    Throughout the 2022 football season, Cricket is hosting eleven Trophy Tours at MEAC, SWAC and SIAC games.
    Rashan Ali, host of the Cool Soror Podcast will be recording live from five of these games in our Cricket Fan Zone.

Extending the experience to the community:
Cricket also provided Challenge tickets to youth across the Atlanta area to allow them to get a taste of the college experience. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta received 115 tickets, Martin Luther King Jr High School received 140 tickets and New Manchester High School band members, who are performing in the pre-game tailgate, received 132 tickets. The hope is that the Challenge experience will make a lasting impression and perhaps spark their interest in attending an HBCU one day.

About Cricket Wireless
Cricket is focused on inspiring smiles, one meaningful connection at a time. We offer an easy and high-quality wireless experience on our reliable nationwide network. Our affordable, straightforward service plans include monthly taxes and don’t require an annual contract. Our customers also enjoy access to top-brand phones at affordable prices.  Based on net adds, AT&T was the fastest growing prepaid carrier in the U.S. for 2021. This is the fourth consecutive year where more customers chose Cricket Wireless or AT&T Prepaid than any other prepaid provider in the United States.

Visit cricketwireless.com to learn more or find a store near you. Stay up-to-date with the Cricket Newsroom, and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Smile. You’re on Cricket.

Cricket is a subsidiary of AT&T Inc. © 2022 Cricket Wireless LLC. All rights reserved. Cricket and the Cricket logo are trademarks under license to Cricket Wireless LLC. 

About ESPN Events 
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of 34 collegiate sporting events nationwide. The roster includes five early-season college football games, 17 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events and a college softball event, which accounts for approximately 400 hours of live programming, reaches nearly 64 million viewers, and attracts over 800,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in more than 10 markets across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools, and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans. 
For more information, visit the official website, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube pages.