The Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association’s (CIAA) Tournament has decided to pursue other venues for the next few years. Unfortunately, Charlotte won’t be among the destinations for the Division II conference’s men’s and women’s basketball tournament.
The CIAA, founded in 1912, is one of five athletic conferences comprised of HBCUs and is the oldest Black athletic conference in the United States.
The Charlotte Regional Visitor’s Authority announced the news in a joint letter with the CIAA. The Queen City was among the top finalists, including reigning host Baltimore, to take on the legendary tournament.
“We understand the CIAA considered several factors in making their decision, including the alignment of proposed dates with their preferred event schedule,” the bidding organizations said in a joint statement obtained by FOX8 “When the CIAA requested 2027 dates in early 2025, our primary venues were already committed due to previously scheduled programming—a reflection of Charlotte’s growing momentum as a premier host city.”
The city of Charlotte placed a bid for the tournament to return; the games had been an annual occurrence in the city from 2006 to 2020. Driving $55 million in economic impact for the city during its 15-year stint, the CIAA Tournament was its largest annual event.
The tournament moved to Baltimore in 2021, citing financial incentives and declining attendees.
The city, alongside the CRVA and Charlotte Sports Foundation, sought to reestablish the staple event. However, its ability to secure the Spectrum Center as its venue for the March event proved troublesome. The arena already hosts the city’s NBA franchise, the Charlotte Hornets, and had already booked the ACC men’s basketball tournament in 2028.
“We remain hopeful that Charlotte will have the opportunity to welcome the tournament back in the future,” the city said in its statement.
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