By HBCU Times Staff
BALTIMORE — The CIAA Tournament economic impact reached a record $33.6 million in Baltimore in 2026, another sign that one of HBCU sports’ biggest events is bringing much more than basketball to the city.
The 2026 Food Lion Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament was held Feb. 24-28 at CFG Bank Arena. More than 33,000 people attended the tournament’s 22 games, according to the CIAA and Visit Baltimore.
The numbers were the highest since the tournament moved to Baltimore and showed how much business follows HBCU fans, alumni and families when they come to town.
CIAA Tournament Economic Impact Sets New Record
The $33.6 million total included spending at hotels, restaurants, stores, entertainment venues and transportation services throughout the Baltimore area.
According to an economic impact study conducted by Tourism Economics, participants and spectators spent about $17.4 million directly with Baltimore-area businesses.
Food and beverage spending accounted for about $4.8 million. Visitors spent another $4.4 million on lodging and $3 million at retail businesses. Entertainment and attractions received about $2.8 million, while transportation and rideshare spending totaled approximately $1.8 million.
Nearly 10,000 tournament visitors stayed overnight, and 74% of visitors came from outside Maryland.
That is where the impact becomes easier to see.
People came to Baltimore for basketball, but they spent money throughout the city while they were there.
More Than Basketball
The CIAA Tournament has never been limited to what happens on the court.
Tournament week combines basketball with alumni gatherings, career and education programs, community service, entertainment, step shows and other events tied to HBCU culture. The conference is the nation’s oldest historically Black athletic conference and includes 12 member institutions.
CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams Parker said the tournament’s impact reflects that broader purpose.
“The CIAA has always been about more than basketball — it’s an experience,” McWilliams Parker said in the conference’s announcement of the economic impact results.
The 2026 tournament also supported an estimated 1,630 full- and part-time positions and generated $6.7 million in direct income for workers in the Baltimore community.
Local and Minority-Owned Businesses Benefit
The money did not stop at Baltimore’s larger hotels and businesses.
The CIAA reported that 109 minority- and women-owned businesses received approximately $1.43 million in business during the tournament.
The conference also reported that Baltimore, Maryland, Visit Baltimore and the Local Organizing Committee contributed $1.7 million to the CIAA General Scholarship Fund. Those dollars support students attending CIAA member institutions.
Those numbers matter.
A major HBCU event brought thousands of people into Baltimore, created business for local companies, supported jobs and put money toward scholarships for students.
Attendance Climbs at CFG Bank Arena
Attendance also moved in the right direction.
More than 33,000 fans attended the tournament’s 22 games at CFG Bank Arena. The Feb. 28 championship session drew more than 8,200 fans, a 36% increase from 2025.
The tournament has now generated more than $100 million in economic impact since moving to Baltimore.
The relationship is not ending anytime soon.
Baltimore is scheduled to remain home to the CIAA Basketball Tournament through 2029, extending a partnership that has grown into an important part of the city’s sports and tourism calendar.
What the $33.6 Million Says About HBCU Culture
There is a bigger story behind the CIAA Tournament economic impact.
HBCU students compete on the court, but alumni, families and fans create activity throughout the host city. They book rooms. They eat at restaurants. They shop. They attend events. They support businesses.
That spending adds up.
For years, HBCU homecomings, classics and championship events have drawn large crowds because of the connection people maintain with these institutions long after graduation.
The CIAA Tournament is another example of that connection turning into measurable economic activity.
For Baltimore, the final number was $33.6 million.
For the CIAA and its member institutions, the record is another reminder that the reach of HBCU athletics does not end when the final buzzer sounds.
Source: Reporting for this story includes information published by AFRO American Newspapers, the CIAA and Visit Baltimore.
