Berwyn, Pa. (April 6, 2022) – The Black Student-Athlete Summit, an annual three-day conference focused on maximizing academic and professional development opportunities for Black student-athletes and athletic departments, announced today an official partnership with Playfly Sports, the emerging leader in sports marketing, media and technology. Beginning with the 2022 Summit set for May 23-25, the Black Student-Athlete Summit will be powered by Playfly Sports, with resource backing, including sponsorship sales, from Playfly’s corporate staff.
“It’s inspiring to reflect on the first six years of the Black Student-Athlete Summit and recognize how it has grown into a well-established platform for collegiate athletics,” said Dr. Leonard Moore, founder of the Black Student-Athlete Summit. “Partnering with Playfly and their forward-thinking momentum over the next three years will enable us to take the summit to the next level with resources that further our mission.”
The theme of this year’s summit will focus on the mental health of Black student-athletes. Recent stories of athletes sharing their struggles with mental health, including Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, Brandon Marshall, and others, have highlighted the acute need to provide resources and assistance to Black student-athletes coping with these challenges.
“Dr. Moore’s innovative and groundbreaking work in establishing the Black Student-Athlete Summit has made an invaluable impact on the health, strength and well-being of the black student-athlete experience,” said President of Playfly Sports Properties Christy Hedgpeth. “Playfly feels a great sense of purpose in supporting the Summit’s guiding values and looks forward to growing the awareness and expanding the mission of this important platform in years to come.”
Founded by Dr. Leonard Moore, a professor of 24 years currently teaching at the University of Texas, the Black Student-Athlete Summit was created to support Black student-athletes during their time on campus by maximizing academic and professional development opportunities. Since its inception in 2015, the Summit has experienced exponential growth. The first Summit welcomed 70 attendees and quickly grew with the 2020 Summit boasting an in-person attendance of nearly 600. Most recently, the 2021 Summit, hosted virtually, saw 1337 attendees representing 153 schools and athletic departments.
The long-term partnership will back the mission of the Black Student-Athlete Summit with Playfly’s growing pool of resources, including future assistance with website and app development, content development, and sponsorship sales support.
The 2022 Black Student-Athlete Summit powered by Playfly Sports will be held May 23-25, 2022 on the campus of Rice University.
Registration for students and professionals can be completed here.
