- All 18 Big Ten universities will go head-to-head in Year 2 of the nationwide challenge, the ‘We Give Blood’ drive, to inspire the most blood donations from students, alumni, and fans with the winning school earning $1 million from Abbott for student or community health
- Abbott is releasing exclusive, limited-edition Homefield designed T-shirts for each Big Ten school. Be among the first to receive one by showing up to donate on ‘We Give Blood Day’ on Aug. 27
- Abbott launched the ‘We Give Blood’ drive in response to the worst U.S. blood shortages in decades, aiming to inspire the next generation of donors
The 2025 winner will be announced at the 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game on Dec. 6
- Anyone eligible can donate blood anywhere across the country anytime from Aug. 27 to Dec. 5 to support their Big Ten school. Log donations by texting “DONATE” to 222688 (ABBOTT) or by visiting BigTen.Org/Abbott
The second year of Abbott and the Big Ten Conference’s blood donation competition, which draws on collegiate sporting fandom to address one of the nation’s most urgent health issues, is underway.
Schools will compete to see which can encourage the most individuals to donate blood between August 27 and December 5.
There are still severe blood shortages in the United States; according to some blood centers, there is not enough blood on hand to last a day. Every two seconds, blood donations are required for a wide range of medical conditions, such as cancer patients undergoing treatment, moms dealing with postpartum problems, and victims of trauma and accidents. People are less likely to be able to donate blood as they age. Meanwhile, there has been a decline in the number of young people giving blood in recent years.
With the “We Give Blood” drive competition, Abbott is working with Big Ten universities and blood centers around the country to ignite the next generation of lifelong blood donors. More campus blood drives will be held as a result of the competition, providing many college students with their first chance to donate blood. To assist their school compete for the $1 million from Abbott, students, alumni, and supporters nationwide can donate blood at any location and record their gift.
“This campaign is a direct investment in the long-term sustainability of our nation’s blood supply,” stated Robert Ford, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott. “We know young people care deeply about their communities, and this is an amazing opportunity to help them show it. Our hope is that years from now, people will look back and mark the ‘We Give Blood’ drive as the moment that they became a first-time, and ultimately lifelong, blood donor.”
“We are glad to partner with Abbott once again to provide this opportunity for every Big Ten fan across the country to help solve the worst U.S. blood shortage in decades,” said Tony Petitti, Big Ten Conference Commissioner. “Big Ten fans are competitive and compassionate. We are confident they will embrace this challenge not only in the months ahead, but for years to come.”
With almost 4,000 donors, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln won the first-ever “We Give Blood” drive competition in 2024, potentially saving up to 12,000 lives. The money is being used by the university to fund student organization grants, health-focused research, and its Well-Being Collective, which supports the mental, social, and physical well-being of students.
The O’s and X’s
Anyone who is eligible to donate blood can do so at any blood center or drive nationwide between August 27 and December 5 and text “DONATE” to ABBOTT (222688) to log a donation for their Big Ten school of choice. This makes it easier than ever to do so. Additionally, you can donate at BigTen.Org/Abbott, where you can also discover a blood center finding tool, details about campus blood drives, and additional eligibility information.
In an effort to encourage first-time contributions, this year’s competition will provide Big Ten supporters with additional opportunities:
- Abbott is releasing exclusive, limited-edition Homefield designed T-shirts for each Big Ten school. Be among the first to receive one by showing up to donate and logging your donation on “We Give Blood Day” on Aug. 27. Shirts will be available throughout the competition, while supplies last.
- Beginning with the first week of the Big Ten football season, Abbott and the Big Ten will host 12 “We Give Blood” Weekly One-Up Challenges. These mini competitions will pit two Big Ten schools against each other to see which can show up to donate the most blood during the week. Donors from the winning school will receive a chance to win select memorable campus experiences offered by the universities.
The winner of the “We Give Blood” drive will be announced at the Big Ten Championship Football Game on Dec. 6 in Indianapolis. That school will receive $1 million to advance student or community health. Donation totals will be tracked on a live leaderboard at BigTen.Org/Abbott throughout the campaign.
Abbott, the health sciences and diagnostics partner of the Big Ten Conference, helps screen the world’s blood supply. Abbott has partnered with the multimedia rightsholders across each Big Ten campus – Learfield, Playfly Sports, and JMI Sports.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a health advice. We would ask you to consult a qualified professional or medical expert to gain additional knowledge before you choose to consume any product or perform any exercise.
