The CIAA Basketball Event — arguably the crown jewel of HBCU basketball — isn’t going wherever anytime quickly. After a string of profitable years in Allure Metropolis, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Affiliation (CIAA) has formally introduced that Baltimore will stay the house of its iconic males’s and girls’s basketball match via 2029.
The choice, made by the CIAA Board of Administrators, comes after a aggressive bid course of that included an effort by Charlotte, North Carolina — the match’s former long-term host — to deliver the occasion again to the Queen Metropolis. However ultimately, Baltimore’s momentum, financial affect, and neighborhood embrace proved too sturdy to disregard.
Baltimore Secures the Bag — and the Tradition
Since formally relocating the match to Baltimore in 2021, the CIAA has discovered a brand new groove. What started with a digital occasion as a result of pandemic has grown right into a full-fledged celebration of Black excellence, producing a staggering $109 million in whole financial affect for the town between 2022 and 2025. The 2025 match alone pumped $27.4 million into Baltimore’s economic system, created almost 1,500 jobs, and pulled in $2.4 million in state and native tax income.
However this isn’t nearly {dollars} and cents. It’s about legacy.
“This match isn’t simply basketball video games,” stated Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. “It’s a celebration of Black tradition, Black historical past, and Black excellence.”
From Training Day and the Profession Expo to Fan Fest and a scholarship fund that’s infused $1.6 million into CIAA member establishments — all HBCUs — the occasion has turn out to be a centerpiece of each financial and cultural vitality in Baltimore.
A Historic Shift from Charlotte
The CIAA match had lengthy been synonymous with Charlotte. For 15 years, the North Carolina metropolis hosted what grew to become greater than an HBCU basketball occasion — it was the gathering place for HBCU alumni, followers, and households each February.
The vitality was electrical, the nightlife unmatched, and the affect plain. However over time, tensions grew. Native officers and enterprise leaders questioned whether or not they have been getting a adequate return on their funding. In 2020, after the CIAA opted to not renew Charlotte’s contract, the match packed its baggage for Baltimore, marking a seismic shift in HBCU athletics.
Since then, Charlotte has made it no secret that it desires the match again. Its 2024 bid, although sturdy, finally fell brief.
Allure Metropolis Delivers — On and Off the Court docket
Baltimore, led by Governor Wes Moore, Mayor Scott, Go to Baltimore, and a fired-up host committee, made a compelling case not simply with cash, however with mission.
“The CIAA is greater than a basketball match; it’s a cultural establishment that celebrates excellence in training, neighborhood, and athletics,” stated Gov. Moore. “Its continued presence is not going to solely enhance our economic system but in addition advance our shared dedication to fairness and alternative.”
Including much more hometown pleasure to the combo is Below Armour, the Baltimore-based athletic attire large. The corporate has renewed its partnership with the CIAA via 2029, pledging continued assist for student-athletes.
“This collaboration goes far past attire,” stated Below Armour CEO Kevin Plank. “It represents shared values, neighborhood affect, and a dedication to excellence via athletics.”
DMV Roots and a New Period
Baltimore’s location within the coronary heart of the DMV gives quick access to the CIAA’s fan base, particularly alumni from colleges like Bowie State College, only a brief drive away. As the one CIAA member establishment in Maryland, Bowie State has been entrance and middle throughout the match’s tenure within the metropolis.
Dr. Aminta Breaux, CIAA Board Chair and president of Bowie State, emphasised the importance: “We’re constructing a brand new legacy of Black excellence in Baltimore. The partnership has been distinctive — from the financial affect to the cultural celebration.”
Much more spectacular: from 2022 to 2025, the match generated $4.8 million in direct spending with minority-owned companies — an intentional dedication to fairness that displays the convention’s values.
What’s Subsequent?
The CIAA will tip off its subsequent Baltimore-based HBCU basketball match from February 24 to March 1, 2026, contained in the renovated CFG Financial institution Area. Hundreds of followers, college students, alumni, and households are anticipated to descend on the town as soon as once more, not only for basketball, however for the whole lot the week has come to signify: pleasure, energy, and presence.
And whereas Charlotte may need misplaced the bid this time, it’s clear the competitors for HBCU sports activities’ premier occasion isn’t cooling down.
For now, although, Baltimore wears the crown — and it’s holding tight.
