100th Anniversary of the United States Polo Association's National Intercollegiate Championship Finals to Air on ESPNU

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., April 15, 2022 (Newswire.com) - U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), proudly outfitted all competing teams in the United States Polo Association's Division I National Intercollegiate Championships (NIC), held at the Virginia Polo Center in Charlottesville, VA. Contested for the first time in two years due to coronavirus, the 2022 finals marked the centennial anniversary of the USPA's Intercollegiate/Interscholastic (I/I) program, dedicated to growing the sport of polo through future generations in the United States.

Representing the best intercollegiate programs in the country, the 2022 D1 Men's and Women's National Intercollegiate Championship Finals were played on Saturday, April 9, with the University of Virginia (UVA) sweeping the Men's and Women's National Championships for the first time since 2012. The final contenders included UVA, University of Kentucky, University of North Texas, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State. 

The Finals were livestreamed exclusively on Global Polo TV (GPTV), the digital epicenter for polo content and live games around the world. New to the 2022 National Intercollegiate Championships includes a historic partnership with ESPN to air the Finals on ESPN University for the very first time on Sunday, April 17. The Women's Final is set to air at 6 p.m. EST and the Men's Final at 7 p.m. EST. Check your local listings for air times. 

The most celebrated tournament for collegiate polo in the United States included support from U.S. Polo Assn.'s nationwide Collegiate Partnership Program (CPP). Through the CPP, U.S. Polo Assn. provided student-athletes from a total of 29 colleges with complete game attire throughout the official polo season. 

"The 100th anniversary of the 2022 National Intercollegiate Championships is a celebration that showcases the growth of the sport of polo nationwide," said J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global Licensing, which manages the global, multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand. "As the official brand of the United States Polo Association, U.S. Polo Assn. is proud to be part of this event by outfitting these exceptional students in their team jerseys."

Additional support from U.S. Polo Assn.'s Collegiate Partnership Program over the past year included performance team jerseys, white playing pants, polo shirts, caps, and equipment gear bags as well as a monetary donation for a record 48 collegiate teams throughout the country. 

"As we come to the end of another great year of collegiate polo and mark our 100th anniversary, we are grateful to have the support of the global apparel brand, U.S. Polo Assn.," said Liz Brayboy, Chair of the USPA's Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Committee. "We thank U.S. Polo Assn. for their many contributions to the program and players across the country." 

About U.S. Polo Assn. and USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL)

U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the nonprofit governing body for the sport of polo in the United States and one of the oldest sports governing bodies, having been founded in 1890. With a multi-billion-dollar global footprint and worldwide distribution through some 1,200 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores, department stores, sporting goods channels, independent retailers and e-commerce, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel for men, women, and children, as well as accessories and footwear in 194 countries worldwide. Ranked the fifth largest sports licensor in License Global magazine's 2020 list of "Top 150 Global Licensors," U.S. Polo Assn. is named alongside such iconic sports brands as the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Visit uspoloassnglobal.com.

USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL) is the for-profit subsidiary of the USPA and its exclusive worldwide licensor. USPAGL manages the global, multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand and is the steward of the USPA's intellectual properties, providing the sport with a long-term source of revenue. Through its subsidiary, Global Polo Entertainment (GPE), USPAGL also manages Global Polo TV, the world's leading digital platform with polo and lifestyle content. In addition, USPAGL partners with ESPN and BeIN Sports globally to share the sport of polo broadcasts on television and on-demand to millions of viewers around the world. For more polo content, visit globalpolo.com.

About the United States Polo Association® (USPA)

The United States Polo Association was organized and exists for the purposes of promoting the game of polo, coordinating the activities of its Member Clubs and Registered Players, arranging and supervising polo tournaments, competitions and games, and providing rules, handicaps, and conditions for those tournaments, competitions, and games including the safety and welfare of participants and mounts. Founded in 1890, the USPA is the national governing body for the sport of polo. The USPA is currently comprised of almost 200 member clubs with thousands of individual members and oversees 40 national tournaments. For more information, please visit uspolo.org.

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Photo Credit: Oana Photo

For further information contact: 

Shannon Stilson - VP, Sports Marketing & Media 

Phone +001.561.227.6994 - Email: sstilson@uspagl.com

Stacey Kovalsky - Senior Director, Global Communications

Phone +001.561.790.8036 - Email: skovalsky@uspagl.com

Source: USPA Global Licensing Inc.