By Ariyana Griffin,
Special to the AFRO
It’s tournament time.
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the nation’s oldest historically Black athletic conference, will return to Baltimore from Feb. 26 to March 3 at CFG Bank Arena.
Last year, CIAA and city officials announced that the tournament will call Baltimore home until 2026. This comes after the tournament was based in Charlotte, N.C., for several years. The week-long event invites thousands of fans and supporters to indulge in Division II basketball and enjoy Charm City.
“This is an incredibly special year for the CIAA as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of NCAA Division II and the 30th Anniversary of our alliance with Food Lion,” stated CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams in a press release. “The CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament is a culmination of the hard work of our member institutions and our student-athletes, as well as a celebration of HBCU culture and community. Through our relationships with partners like ESPN, Food Lion, Under Armour and others, we can continue to provide opportunities and access for the next generation.”
Baltimore City and CIAA officials continue to stress the success of the tournament in attracting visitors and the impact they have on tourism for the city.
The tournament generated a total economic impact of $29.6 million, according to a statement released by tournament officials announcing the event. The tournament, the statement said, supported 1,504 part-time and full-time jobs and generated $2.5 million in state and local taxes.
In 2023, the five-day tournament drew 38,450 fans during its 22 basketball games, exceeding 2022’s attendance by 5.6 percent, the press statement said.
“The CIAA is a week-long celebration of Black excellence and culture that brings together student-athletes, coaches, sports fans, celebrities and the business community,” said Al Hutchinson, president and CEO of Visit Baltimore. “We are excited to celebrate the tournament’s fourth year in Baltimore and hope to see both out-of-town fans and our local community experience the championship games and all the community events happening during the week.”
As in the past, the basketball games are supplemented by events such as a step show, a high school education day, a fan fest and a career fair.
For more information about the events and the tournament, visit CIAATournament.org.