We’ve got some BIG time celebrating to do in the ATL! A group of filmmakers from Atlanta’s own Morehouse College has received the prestigious Coca-Cola HBCU Sports Production Grant at the 2026 Sports Emmys, hosted by Roy Wood Jr., who is also an HBCU graduate & ambassador for the initiative.
What is the Coca-Cola HBCU Sports Production Grant?
Roy Wood Jr., ceremony host & Stephanie Eaddy, Cultural Marketing Lead, Coca-Cola Co. | 47th Annual Sports and News & Documentary Emmy® Awards
The Coca-Cola HBCU Sports Broadcasting Grant is a $40,000 grant program that celebrates outstanding student storytellers at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who are passionate about sports, storytelling and media production.
The total grant pool is $40,000, which is awarded to one, two or three winning entries depending on the scores. This year, first place received $25,000, second place received $10,000, and third place received $5,000.
The students will be able to use the funds as they see fit for new camera gear, wardrobe, locations, or anything else they might need to finance a new project.
This initiative is administered by the Foundation of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) — the organization behind the Emmy® Awards — and honors the next generation of sports media creators who bring to life the voices, pride and impact of HBCU athletics.
Morehouse students take home the gold
47th Annual Sports and News & Documentary Emmy® Awards
Stevie Jackson, Makai Brown, Mateo McIntosh and Ian Chamberlin from Atlanta’s Morehouse College won first place. They accepted the $25,000 prize onstage in New York City at the Sports Emmy® Awards.
The Emmys stated on social media,
Chosen from a record number of submissions, their work stood out immediately… bold, intentional and impossible to ignore. This is the next generation of sports storytelling.
Jackson’s film, ‘Before the Bell’ tells the story of the Morehouse boxing club, and its founder, Jacobey Bell.
Onstage at the Sports Emmy® Awards, filmmaker Jackson stated that the funds from the grant will go back to the Morehouse Boxing club to create a permanent practice space, which the club does not currently have.
The grant program is also creating opportunities beyond the awards themselves. Stevie Jackson, a member of Morehouse College’s first-place team, will begin a contract role with Atlanta-based TNT Sports this summer. Rowan Mumford of Florida A&M University, whose team earned second place, was selected for a TNT Sports internship in Atlanta.
The opportunities are part of a growing commitment from Drew Watkins of TNT Sports, an HBCU graduate himself, who serves on the Coca-Cola HBCU Sports Production Grant Committee and helps lead outreach efforts to HBCUs across the country. Through partnerships with Coca-Cola and the NATAS Foundation, TNT Sports is helping connect talented student storytellers with real-world opportunities in Atlanta’s sports media industry.
