Author: Zebra Partners

STUDENTS AND STUDENT-ATHLETES ARE ENCOURAGED TO SIGN UP NOW TO COMPETE DIGITALLY IN NBA 2K22
 
WHAT: USC students and student-athletes will face off against their UCLA counterparts in the first annual Lawson Cup, a gaming tournament to raise funds for the universities’ respective social justice initiatives, taking place on December 16th and 17th, 2021. Proceeds will be split between USC Games’ Gerald A. Lawson Endowment Fund for Black and Indigenous Students and UCLA’s Black Bruin Resource Center. This year’s Lawson Cup, named for legendary Black gaming innovator Gerald A. Lawson, will feature NBA 2K22 from 2K Games.  Over the two-day competition, 1v1 NBA 2K22 matches will also be held between the schools’ respective Black Student Union organizations and alumni student athletes.
 
In addition to raising money for respective funds, both competitors will be competing for a variety of prizes including digital editions of NBA 2K22 and next-gen gaming consoles.
 
Sign-ups are now live at the Lawson Cup’s Battlefy webpage: https://battlefy.com/usc-games/usc-vs-ucla-nba-2k22-cup/616f0e574c39ba28ebf2f949/info?infoTab=details
 
NBA 2K22, which launched on all major gaming platforms on September 10^th, 2021, celebrates two major milestones for the sport: the 75^th anniversary of the NBA, and the 25^th anniversary of the WNBA. NBA 2K22 is published by 2K Games, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.; a major contributor to the Gerald A. Lawson Endowment Fund.
 
WHERE: The tournament will be livestreamed and proceeds will go to the Gerald A. Lawson Endowment Fund for Black and Indigenous Students and UCLA Bruin’s Black Bruin Resource Center, respectively.
 
QUOTES:
“The Lawson Cup is a chance for UCLA and USC to come together to benefit two important funds that will contribute positively to society,” said UCLA Associate Athletic Director, Kenny Donaldson.  “It will be an honor for our students to be able to compete on behalf of UCLA and raise awareness for Gerald Lawson, one of the founding figures of the games industry, and an icon in the Black community, while also bringing attention and support to the newly-formed Black Bruin Resource Center at UCLA.”
 
“Gaming and competition has a way of bringing communities together--especially athletes--and the Lawson Cup will help to raise awareness for important initiatives at both of our schools,” Joyce Bell Limbrick, USC’s Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director - Senior Women’s Administrator.