On the eve of the Magic City Classic, four Alabama A&M University students competed head to head in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Esports Tournament in an event that highlights opportunities available for HBCU students in the sports and tech industries, through a partnership between the RCX Sports Foundation and the Alabama Collective.

The 83rd edition of Magic City Classic week will feature a showdown between the Alabama A&M Bulldogs and Alabama State Hornets on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Legion Field. The event brings HBCU students and alumni from around the country together for a week of fun festivities, fellowship and camaraderie. The annual matchup is the largest HBCU Classic in the country.

Jaeveon Jordan, a senior at Alabama A&M University and winner of the Esports tournament, said the Classic is special to him because it unites HBCUs for one magical weekend where Black students can show what they’re made of.

“Being at the tournament means a whole lot, especially being at the Magic City Classic. It’s really all about unity,” Jordan said. “ESports is going to be a big thing for a whole lot of generations coming up. I’m living proof that you can play video games and make something out of it.”

Jordan took home $1,250 for his first place win. Over the years, Jordan has won multiple ESports tournaments including the Southwestern Athletic Conference and the Madden NFL 24 national championship.

Jamaari Ramirez, a senior at Alabama A&M University and second place winner of the Esports tournament, took home a $750 check. Ramirez said he will be using his winnings to take care of groceries and home decor.

The other two players, Amere Cornelius, an A&M senior, and Gregory Whaley, an A&M freshman, both agreed that it was a “blessing” and a “great opportunity” to participate in the tournament on the weekend of the Classic.

“It was a fun experience. And it was an honor to be here,” Cornelius said.

‘Opportunities through sports’

RCX Sports Foundation and the Alabama Collective came together for this tournament to drive diversity and inclusion in sports and tech by providing underrepresented students with new career opportunities.

Izell Reese, Alabama native and president of RCX Sports Foundation, is a former UAB football player and NFL veteran who is an advocate for expanding the accessibility and inclusivity of youth sports.

The RCX Sports Foundation built the first ever NFL flag turf field in the world in Dothan.

“The Classic is a marquee event that brings a lot of people together,” Reese said. “We’re looking at all areas of opportunities for youth, and especially kids in under-resourced communities, kids of color, young women, and making sure they have opportunities through sports.”

Charisse Stokes, executive director of the Alabama Collective, said hosting events like the ESports tournament during the Magic City Classic helps show HBCU students what opportunities are available for them in Alabama.

“When you look at ESports and gaming, the technology fields around that are immense. This is the first time that we had an opportunity to have it during the Classic and I think it’s a great time for them to also be exposed to the number of employers that we have here in the state of Alabama,” Stokes said.

“We’re starting to see all HBCU students want to be at the classic.That’s a ripe audience of people that are doing great work within industry, doing great work within government and also academia. It’s shining a light on that.”

Other A&M students said being at the ESports tournament on the same weekend of the Classic was an exciting and new opportunity.

“This is my first time watching an Esports football game, and it’s really lovely because it’s going to be my first time seeing a football game live at the Magic City Classic,” Adekunie Adeyori, an Alabama A&M student, said.

“It gives students a chance to see that there are other industries that are equally fulfilling and have equal opportunities for them. It’s also showing HBCU students that this is another field that they can come in and rock,” Oluwaseun Omotayo, an Alabama A&M University student, said.

Omotayo and a team of other Alabama A&M students won first place in the HBCU Business Pitch Competition earlier that day, taking yet another victory, and $10,000, back to the university.