August 19, 2025- Abbott and the Big Ten Conference are back with Year 2 of their college rivalry-inspired blood donation competition that leverages the fandom of collegiate athletics to address one of the country’s most pressing health crises.
From Aug. 27 to Dec. 5, schools will compete to see which can inspire the most people to donate blood.
The U.S. continues to face urgent blood shortages, with some blood centers reporting less than a one-day supply of blood on hand. Blood donations are needed every two seconds for a wide variety of medical reasons, including trauma and accident victims, mothers experiencing complications after childbirth, and individuals receiving cancer treatment. As people get older, they become less likely to be eligible to donate blood. At the same time, the number of young people donating blood has been falling in recent years.
With the “We Give Blood” drive competition, Abbott is working with Big Ten universities and blood centers across the country to ignite the next generation of lifelong blood donors. The competition will bring more blood drives to campuses, giving many college students an opportunity to donate blood for the first time. Students, alumni and fans across the country can donate blood at any location and log their donation to help their school compete for the $1 million from Abbott.