CIAA Daily Media CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES Update

Men’s and Women’s Games – Friday, February 24, 2023

• Women’s Games: Johnson C. Smith University 62 v. Elizabeth City State University 63; Lincoln University 45 v. Shaw University 59

• Men’s Games: Virginia Union University 44 v. Winston-Salem State University 45; Fayetteville State University 49 v. Lincoln University 53

Saturday, February 25 Championship Game Match-ups:

TOURNAMENT INFO:

• Tickets: General admission ticket packages, which include all men’s and women’s games held during the tournament week, are available via Ticketmaster by visiting HERE. Fans, alumni, and attendees wishing to make hotel reservations can select and book their lodging for Baltimore by contacting ConferenceDirect or by calling 844-293-6678.  A portion of proceeds from all ticket sales support scholarships for students attending CIAA member schools.

• Getting Around:  Know Before You Go.  Leave plenty of time for traffic. For optimal ways to get around Baltimore during the tournament, visitors are encouraged to utilize BALTIMORE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES and ride-sharing services like Lyft and Uber.

• ESPN Coverage of Men’s & Women’s Basketball Tournament:  This is the second year of a multi-year partnership between the CIAA and ESPN. All 22 games will be broadcast exclusively on ESPN+ (https://plus.espn.com/) with the championship games also being shown on ESPNU.

• Community Impact Events:  In addition to the 22 games featured in this year’s Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament, the CIAA will again offer fan-favorite events for all ages, including Fan Fest, High School Education Day, CIAA Career Expo, Super Saturday, The 7th Annual Samaritan’s Feet “Shoes of Hope” initiative, The John B. McClendon Jr. CIAA Hall of Fame Breakfast, and other exciting events. The CIAA is partnering with Visit Baltimore to offer the 2nd annual series of town halls and symposiums including a Tech House Summit, Money Moves Financial Summit, CIAA Men’s & Women’s Student-Athlete Symposium, Health & Mental Wellness Forum, and more.

• Fans will also enjoy the annual entertainment events CIAA Fan Fest: The free, two-day CIAA Fan Fest will take place at the Baltimore Convention Center in Halls E-G on Friday, Feb. 24 (11 am – 8 pm) and Saturday, Feb.25 (12 noon – 8 pm) featuring interactive sponsor activations, concerts and other family-friendly entertainment. Fans, visitors and Baltimore residents are invited to this free event.

• Additionally, fans will enjoy the annual entertainment events happening during Tournament week such as the CIAA Legends of Hip Hop Party, CIAA High School and Greek Step Shows, CIAA Alumni party and others. Artists confirmed to perform include Doug E. Fresh, L’il Mo, DJ Kool, Rare Essence, Kid Capri, Slick Rick, KRS-One, Chubb Rock and More.

• REMINDER: The full schedule of 2023 official CIAA games and events that took place during Tournament Week is available at: https://theciaa.com/sports/2023/2/1/2023_Schedule_of_Events.aspx

ABOUT THE CIAA IN BALTIMORE

• Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first African-American athletic conference and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II.

• The CIAA is an event that has become a celebration of family, culture, and accomplishments that uplift and strengthen the African American community.

• The CIAA has hosted the men’s basketball tournament for 78 years and the women’s basketball tournament for 49 years.

• This year, we are thrilled to join the CIAA in celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title XI, and Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams’ 10th Anniversary as Commissioner of the CIAA!

• This year’s tournament will also mark the unveiling of CFG Arena’s $200 million renovation backed by celebrity investors including basketball star and Maryland-raised Kevin Durant, Grammy Award-winning musician Pharrell Williams and pro football Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis.

• In terms of what this tournament means for Baltimore, we are so excited to have the opportunity to serve as the host city for the tournament because we truly feel like Baltimore is aligned with what the CIAA is all about – celebrating Black excellence.

• As one of the country’s top 10 cities with the highest percentage of Black or African American residents, Baltimore is a destination that celebrates and amplifies Black culture

• The 2022 tournament was a smashing success for both Baltimore economically and culturally, welcoming over 66,000 attendees over 22 games.

• The tournament immediately became a huge economic success for the city of Baltimore.

  • The CIAA Tournament’s direct spending impact of $13.9 million generated a total economic impact of $19.6 million in the local economy, which supported 1,159 part-time and full-time jobs and generated $1.9 million in state and local taxes

  • But what is more important than even economic impact, is the impact that this event has had on the city of Baltimore.

  • Through the 2022 tournament, we celebrated and uplifted Baltimore’s Black-owned businesses and rich African American culture.

  • We came together as a community to make the tournament the success it was – including hosting meaningful community events, creating a restaurant tour and a pop-up shop for Black-owned restaurants and retail businesses.

  • As a community, we were thrilled to donate $800,000 to the scholarship fund for the 12 CIAA schools, and we look forward to growing that commitment for future years.

Safety Protocols

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To ensure that all appropriate COVID-19 health and safety protocols are being addressed, the following safety plan and guidelines* will be in effect throughout Tournament week:

• Face coverings for patrons at the CIAA Basketball Tournament will be optional for all games at the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.

• Vaccinations are recommended but not required.

• Face coverings for those attending any official ancillary events during CIAA Tournament Week will be optional.

*Guidelines and Protocols are subject to change at any given time due to recommendations provided by the City of Baltimore, the State of Maryland, Center for Disease Control (CDC), NCAA Sports Science Institute, and the CIAA Athletic Trainers Association.

About the CIAA

Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first, and longest running, African American athletic conference in the U.S. and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. The CIAA conducts 14 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. In 2020, the conference celebrates the special 75th anniversary of its Championship Basketball Tournament – an event that has become a must-see in the African American community. The Basketball Tournament has been honored as a 2019 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, for both 2018 and 2019.

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 12 member-institutions: Bowie State University, Claflin University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Saint Augustine’s University, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State University. Chowan University is an associate member in football. For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

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About Visit Baltimore 

Visit Baltimore is the official sales and marketing arm for the City of Baltimore. The 501(c)(6) organization generates economic benefits for stakeholders through the attraction of convention, group and leisure visitors. In 2019, spending by travelers totaled $6 billion in direct spending throughout the city, supporting 86,827 total jobs and generating $750 million in state and city tax revenues. For more information, please visit Baltimore.org.