Red Cross Offers Chance to Win Super Bowl 2022 Tickets Amid Blood Shortage

Jan. 13, 2022 -- The American Red Cross is hoping to entice blood donors this month by offering a chance to win tickets to Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles or a home theater package, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The nonprofit, which provides 40% of the country’s blood, said supply is at historically low levels. With a 10% overall decline in people giving blood during the pandemic and a 60% drop in blood drives at schools and colleges, this marks the worst blood shortage in more than a decade.

“The crisis is so severe that we are having to limit the amount of blood that can be sent to hospitals,” Emily Coberly, MD, Red Cross divisional medical director, told the newspaper.

Low blood supply can affect patient care, which is particularly urgent during the ongoing pandemic. Coberly said she has seen multiple examples of people with cancer who couldn’t receive transfusions on their scheduled treatment days.

“The dangerously low blood supply levels have forced some hospitals to defer patients from major surgery, including organ transplants,” the Red Cross said in a statement on Tuesday.

In recent weeks, the Red Cross had less than a one-day supply of critical blood types and has had to limit distributions to hospitals. At times, as much as one-quarter of hospital blood needs are not being met, the group said.

The blood shortage became particularly noticeable in fall 2021, the Journal reported. Demand increased as hospitals scheduled procedures that had been deferred or delayed since the beginning of the pandemic.

“I think for those hospitals that are trauma centers, they are really keeping a close eye on their overall supply level to make sure that they have enough,” Akin Demehin, director of policy at the American Hospital Association, told the newspaper.

“It is an aspect of our nation’s overall health that is in the hands of everybody and not just health care providers,” he said.

The Red Cross is asking people to donate platelets and all blood types, particularly Type O.

Donors who give blood, platelets, or plasma during January, which is also National Blood Donor Month, will automatically be entered into the drawing for two Super Bowl tickets. The winner will also receive round-trip airfare to Los Angeles, a 3-night hotel stay for Feb. 11-14, entry to the official NFL Tailgate, and a $500 gift card.

Donors will also be entered to win a home theater package, which includes a short-throw laser projector, projector screen, sound bar, subwoofer, gift card for tech support with installation, and a $500 e-gift card.