Blitz Champz Creator Adrienne Smith Named Comcast RISE Award Recipient

NEW YORK, April 16, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Adrienne Smith, creator of Blitz Champz, Boston Renegades Wide Receiver, football advocate and spokesperson, Orange is the New Black actress, and entrepreneur, has received the Comcast RISE Award, created to help strengthen Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned small businesses around the country that have been impacted by the pandemic. Blitz Champz, the vibrantly-illustrated card game for kids and families, is a recipient of its creative production and media package, including the production of a television commercial and media placement in select markets across the nation.

"We are excited to partner with Comcast to bring Blitz Champz to more kids, schools, and families around the country," Ms. Smith said. "The idea for Blitz Champz came after years of playing professional football. Today, it's the only card game of its kind that captures the excitement of football, depicts a diverse lineup of players, and brings much-needed opportunities to practice math. We look forward to sharing the Blitz Champz brand with an even wider audience than ever before."

Comcast RISE was designed to help the hardest hit small businesses navigate the challenges of COVID-19. Over the past year, small businesses have been dealing with the ongoing impact of the pandemic, social unrest, and environmental events. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, between February and April 2020, the number of active Black-owned businesses declined by 41%, Latinx-owned businesses declined by 32%, and Asian-owned businesses dropped by 25%, versus just 21% for the general population.

"We at Comcast are proud to have created Comcast RISE to give BIPOC-owned companies the marketing and technology resources they need to achieve success," said Abby Jankovic, Effectv Lead, Comcast RISE. "Adrienne Smith's Blitz Champz game is a perfect fit for families, teachers, schools, and communities seeking fun and effective solutions for kids' learning. Blitz Champz really is a one-of-a-kind game, and we are excited to help this game stand out in the marketplace."

The Blitz Champz commercial and advertising campaign is slated for mid-2021 production.

Ms. Smith is the CEO of Gridiron Queendom, with a mission to create more opportunities in football and professional sports for women and girls. Today, she is one of the best-performing wide receivers in women's football history. She started her football career in 2006 as a member of the New York Sharks, and went on to compete internationally, bringing home silver medals in Sweden and Canada as a member of the U.S. women's national flag football team. In 2010 and 2013, Adrienne helped the U.S. women's national tackle football team bring home the gold medal in the International Federation of American Football's Women's World Championship. Since 2011, Ms. Smith has played for the Boston Renegades, a tackle football team in the Women's Football Alliance and winner of national championships in 2011, 2014, 2018 and 2019. Ms. Smith's professional career began in Japan, where she worked as a translator and Coordinator of International Relations for the Japanese Board of Education. During her two years in this position, Adrienne produced and co-hosted a local television show geared towards educating Japanese people about American culture. Ms. Smith earned her MBA from Columbia Business School in Media & Entertainment; and her Bachelor's degree in Japanese and Film, with a pre-med concentration, from Washington University in St. Louis. She is currently based in New York City.

About Blitz Champz
Blitz Champz is a fun and competitive card game that teaches and tests football knowledge, strategy, and critical math skills. Created by Adrienne Smith, Boston Renegades Wide Receiver, football advocate and spokesperson, Orange is the New Black actress, and entrepreneur, Blitz Champz is a family-friendly, tech-free solution for today's COVID age and emphasizes the importance of learning critical math skills while having fun. A fast-paced, action-packed game perfect for kids age 7 and up as well as their families, Blitz Champz may be used at school as an educational tool, and at home for fun and family bonding time. The game features 100 vibrantly-illustrated playing cards characterizing a diverse lineup of male and female players. A selected product at Walmart's 2018 Annual Open Call Event, and a 2017 National Parenting Product Awards (NAAPA) winner, Blitz Champz is a simple way to bring the magic of football, math skills and fun into kids' lives, and into schools, homes and communities. For more information, please visit http://www.blitzchampz.com.

Media Contact

Press Contact, Blitz Champz, +1 2122033661, [email protected]

SOURCE Blitz Champz