Mobile
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
News Let the games begin: Charlotte gears up for CIAA 2010
Posted By Cheris Hodges on Tue, Feb 9, 2010 at 3:24 PM
The CIAA Basketball tournament is weeks away from kicking off. Games start Feb. 23 and run through Feb. 27. Quarterfinal and semifinal games will be broadcast on TVOne and the men's final will be on ESPNU.
This year, the city and the league are offering new events and features to keep fans in tune with basketball and in the arena. From health and wellness events to two nationally syndicated morning shows, Steve Harvey and Yolanda Adams, setting up shop in Charlotte, the 2010 CIAA Basketball tournament will offer more than before.
Over the last five years, the basketball tournament has poured more than $112 million into the local economy, officials said at Tuesday's pre-tournament press conference.
"There's going to be even more basketball," said CIAA Commissioner Leon Kerry. "We have 20 games and even a women's game that starts at 8 p.m. Another thing that we're going to do is making it easier for people to buy tickets."
For the first time, game tickets will be available for purchase through Ticketmaster, at the Time Warner Arena Box office and through the schools — which had been the only way to get tickets previously.
Kerry said he doesn't want anyone to say they can't find a ticket. "We've tried to drive people to Charlotte as a destination and we've done that. Now it's time to get people excited about being in the arena." That's why there will be a pregame concert on Championship Saturday starring '90s R&B group En Vogue and doors open at 4 p.m. Kerry said there will also be a day party in the arena.
Last year, despite the rough economy, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority reported that the 2009 CIAA Tournament had a total economic impact of $38.2 million over the five-day Tournament period. While the actual number of CIAA visitors was about the same as last year, median spending per person increased from $695 in 2008 to $760 in 2009, creating the increase in overall economic impact.
Other cities have taken notice and Kerry said he's talked to other areas about the tournament, but it's just been talk.
"I haven't seen anything in writing," he said. And Kerry isn't looking to move the tournament from the Queen City. "I like Charlotte; the fans seem to like Charlotte. We've done a lot here, and this is one of the best places that we've ever been. I'm not trying to not be here."
Speaking of...
Latest in The CLog
More by Cheris Hodges
-
Statewide film series set to fight N.C. anti-gay amendment
Dec 15, 2011 -
N.C. governor vetoes repeal of Racial Justice Act
Dec 14, 2011 -
More Democratic in-fighting
Dec 13, 2011 - More »
-
First Drip (4/13/15): Shooting at N.C. community college, more
The news you need to know today
-
Question the Queen City: Charlottetown Mall and its nearly forgotten time capsule
A child's coffin contained relics of the past that stood neither the test of time nor the elements
-
Photos: KKK, New Black Panthers hold rallies on S.C. Capitol grounds 1
Dueling rallies lead to arrests, medical transports.
