LG COLLABORATES WITH NCAA BASKETBALL PLAYERS TO RAISE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AMONG STUDENT-ATHLETES

Campaign Features Digital Content Series with Inspirational Stories from Student-Athletes, Charitable Tie-In and Fan Activations During Final Four Weekend in Dallas and Houston

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., March 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics USA announced today the launch of its "Game 4 Good" campaign that brings together some of the biggest names in college basketball during the 2023 NCAA March Madness tournaments to highlight the importance of mental health and wellness among student-athletes. This new initiative builds on LG's three-year partnership with the NCAA as an official corporate partner.

According to the NCAA Student-Athlete Well-Being Survey¹, the rates of mental exhaustion, anxiety and depression among student-athletes in the fall of 2021 were comparable to rates at the start of the pandemic. Through the "Game 4 Good" campaign, LG aims to help break the stigma around mental health by partnering with four NCAA student athletes from men's and women's college basketball programs that have demonstrated a deep commitment to mental wellness and advocacy work. Student-athletes Haley Jones (Stanford University), Flau'Jae Johnson (Louisiana State University), Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana University), and Jarace Walker (University of Houston) will be featured in LG's video content series emphasizing the importance of mental well-being and how they "Game 4 Good." 

Launching today on LG.com and other digital platforms, including LG, NCAA and athlete partners' social channels, "Game 4 Good" is one of the many elements of LG's overall platform for its partnership with the NCAA – "Love the Game." The partnership leans into the passion, hope, heartbreak and commitment that is wrapped up in college sports, whether a student-athlete, team or fan. As part of the initiative, LG will donate $10,000 to each athlete partner's mental health charity of choice.

• Haley Jones has chosen Katie's Save, an initiative that supports students and sports teams of all age levels by spreading mental health awareness.
  
  
• Flau'Jae Johnson is supporting the Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club of Savannah, Georgia, an organization that helps community youth grow and build character through academic, social and ethical programming and offers several mental health initiatives.
  
  
• Trayce Jackson-Davis is giving back to Reach for Youth, a community resource that provides a systemic and family-focused approach to mental health, creating a high-quality system of care.
  
  
• Jarace Walker selected the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization focused on mental health advocacy, education, support, and public awareness for mental illness.

"Student-athletes can experience intense pressures that can have a significant impact on their mental well-being," said Jeannie Lee, director of corporate brand marketing at LG Electronics USA. "Through the 'Game 4 Good' campaign, our goal is to share the personal mental health journeys of these amazing athletes and inspire conversations along with support that resonate with their fellow student-athletes and anyone that may find themselves experiencing similar issues. We also want to use this platform to better recognize the people and organizations that are actively working in this space to support student-athletes in various ways."

"This initiative is more important than people realize, and it just shows how much further we're going into the mental health space. I think it's good to have the conversation," said Louisiana State University basketball player Flau'Jae Johnson. "What LG is doing is so important, and it's a breath of fresh air, being able to talk about it as an athlete."

Last fall, LG launched Transparent Conversations, a live-to-tape traveling podcast tour hosted by former DI student athlete turned mental health advocate, Prim Siripipat, which explores mental wellness within athletics and academia. New episodes will be taped during the NCAA tournament featuring student athletes, mental health experts, faculty administrators and more. Transparent Conversations and the "Game 4 Good" initiative builds upon LG's mission to create a better life for all by helping foster cross-generational dialogues around mental health awareness and action that offer pathways for healing and understanding.

In addition to LG's "Game 4 Good" and Transparent Conversations initiatives, the brand will host several immersive in-person and virtual fan experiences during NCAA Final Four weekend. During the Men's Final Four Fan Fest in Houston (March 31 – April 3), attendees can take part in LG's MAX Out XR Experience, where they can scan themselves in 3D to transport into the Metaverse and play a game (also accessible on LG.com/ncaa for fans at home). Attendees can also get an early look at LG's new Mirror Counter-Depth MAX refrigerator with four types of ice, watch exclusive LG content that features LG's 10-year legacy of OLED technology and participate in a live half-court open shoot-around session to test their skills. LG will also host events at the Women's Final Four Tourney Town in Dallas (March 30 - April 2), including Bracketball along with access to the 3D avatar XR experience online.

In 2021, LG announced a three-year partnership with NCAA, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports and CBS Sports. LG has kicked off several initiatives to help inspire and engage college sports fans and student-athletes across the country, including the launch of the NCAA Championships Channel, a streaming channel for NCAA championships coverage across a wide range of NCAA Division II and Division III sports, available exclusively on LG Smart TVs. In partnership with CBS Sports and WBD Sports, up to 50 NCAA Fall, Winter and Spring championships, both live and on-demand, have been featured on LG's exclusive streaming service, LG Channels. Also available exclusively on the NCAA Championships Channel is The Rivalries, a docu-series that highlights college sports' lesser-known but no less exciting rivalries from the NCAA's Division II and Division III programs. The docu-series debuted last year with each episode highlighting a different sports rivalry as told through interviews, historical footage, and the most recent game footage. Season two of The Rivalries will premiere on April 2.

To learn more about the "Game 4 Good" campaign, LG-sponsored March Madness events or the brand's partnership with the NCAA, WBD Sports and CBS Sports, visit LG.com/US/NCAA.

¹Source: NCAA Research in collaboration with the NCAA Sport Science Institute and the NCAA's Division I, II and III Student-Athlete Advisory Committees, NCAA Student-Athlete Well-Being Survey (Fall 2021), published May 2022, https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2020/5/22/ncaa-student-athlete-well-being-study.aspx

About LG Electronics USA
LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $68 billion global innovator in technology and manufacturing. In the United States, LG sells a wide range of innovative home appliances, home entertainment products, commercial displays, air conditioning systems, energy solutions and vehicle components. LG is 2022 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year-Sustained Excellence. The company's commitment to environmental sustainability and its "Life's Good" marketing theme encompass how LG is dedicated to people's happiness by exceeding expectations today and tomorrow. www.LG.com.

About the NCAA
The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and universities that prioritize academics, well-being and fairness to create greater opportunities for nearly half a million student-athletes each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year. Visit ncaa.org and ncaa.com for more details about the Association and the corporate partnerships that support the NCAA and its student-athletes. 

Media Contacts:

LG Electronics USA                            
Chris De Maria                                          
[email protected]       

LG-One USA
Brian Miseo
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