The Kickback, an award-winning entertainment, media, and educational platform owned by Cxmmunity Media, is thrilled to announce a new strategic partnership with the country’s largest Internet service provider Xfinity. This transformative alliance is set to curate high-energy moments and create valuable opportunities within the gaming and esports communities, with a special focus on empowering the next generation of students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Over the coming months, the 2024 Kickback Tour, powered by Xfinity, will include on-campus educational panels, gaming events, and musical performances. The tour aims to inform and educate students about gaming and esports career paths, while showcasing the speed and reliability of Xfinity internet to power the Kickback gaming tournaments.
Ryan Johnson, CEO of Cxmmunity Media, stated, “We are incredibly excited about this partnership with Xfinity. Our shared commitment to supporting HBCU students and providing them with real-world opportunities is at the heart of this collaboration. I look forward to merging our efforts in creating energizing, educational, and entertaining environments for the next generation of diverse leaders in the gaming community.”
For The Kickback, this collaboration deepens its mission of connecting diverse communities with educational and career opportunities in gaming, while adding the strength of Xfinity’s online connectivity. This partnership, through Project UP, Comcast’s $1 billion commitment to digital equity and economic mobility, also extends Comcast’s support of The Cxmmunity Foundation, the mission-led nonprofit arm of Cxmmunity Media while delivering a fast, reliable network to ensure its customers receive the best gaming experience.
“Comcast has a long history of investing in communities, aiming to bridge the digital divide across the country,” said Mark Cruz, Senior Director of Brand Partnerships at Xfinity. “This partnership with Cxmmunity is another way we’re investing – not only in historically Black colleges and universities – but in the futures of their students. In a world where connections mean more than ever, Xfinity is there to help make those connections happen.”
The first major activation of this partnership will take place in July during Dream Con. Dream Con is Texas’s only Black-owned anime and gaming convention, with a kickoff event hosted by anime and cosplay-themed brand Trap Sushi. There, The Kickback will team up with Xfinity, to offer extensive networking opportunities.
The 2024 Kickback tour powered by Xfinity aims to expand upon last year’s event held in Atlanta, which attracted a highly-engaged audience within the diverse gaming community. The event was also recognized by the Atlanta chapter of the American Marketing Association for the Best Gaming & Esports Branded Integration of 2024.
For upcoming news about the next Kickback events in Washington D.C. (September) and Atlanta (December), visit thekickback.gg.