CIAA tournament, once hosted by Charlotte, extends run in Baltimore until 2026
The economic impact of this year’s CIAA Basketball Tournament — an event once held in Charlotte — increased by more than 50% compared to last year, a figure that helped persuade conference officials to extend the tournament’s run in Baltimore until 2026.
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More than 38,000 fans flocked to downtown Baltimore over five days in February to watch the 2023 CIAA tournament at a partially completed CFG Bank Arena. While total attendance was up just 5% compared to the 2022 tournament, the total economic impact of $29.6 million represented an increase of more than 51% over last year’s tournament.
TODAY: The @CIAAForLife Basketball Tournament will remain in Baltimore through at least 2026, now that the conference and city have agreed to an extension @wsoctv https://t.co/Xqvn2OCwTv
— DaShawn Brown (@DaShawnWSOC9) June 8, 2023
After seeing those numbers, the CIAA Board of Directors decided they want to see how big the tournament can get in Baltimore, and voted to keep the event in Charm City until 2026. An extension signed last year had the CIAA staying in the city through 2025.
The CIAA tournament had been held in Charlotte from 2006 through 2020 before officials decided to make the move to Baltimore. It was the Charlotte area’s most lucrative recurring tourism event, and tourism executives said its value was heightened because of its late February timing, when fewer people tend to be traveling.
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