CHARLOTTE, NC- The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA®), the nation's oldest historically Black athletic conference, is officially launching  its biggest ticket deal of the year for the highly anticipated 2026 Food Lion CIAA Men's and Women's Basketball Championship Tournament.

Beginning today through September 1, fans can score $100 off All-Session General Admission tickets by using the promo code EARLY, part of the limited-time CIAA Early Bird Special. All tickets are available at CIAATournament.org.

February is CIAA and fans are invited to "Come Home to Baltimore" and experience:

• 22 action-packed men's and women's basketball games
• The legendary Free 2-Day Fan Fest
• Education Day, Career Expo, Greek Night, Step Shows
• Official concerts, Day parties, celebrity sightings and much more!

From February 24 to February 28, 2026, the CIAA Basketball Tournament returns to
Baltimore and this year promises to be bigger than ever. CFG Bank Arena will come
alive with the energy of alumni, students, athletes, the Divine Nine, and fans from across
the country for an unforgettable celebration of HBCU excellence. This is more than a
tournament, it's a powerful gathering of culture, pride, tradition and legacy.

With the CIAA extending its winning partnership with Baltimore through 2029, the city
stands as the official home of CIAA basketball, cementing Charm City as the heart of
CIAA basketball where history is made, and the culture comes alive. To get tickets now,
book hotels and get the latest information about the CIAA, visit theciaa.com. You can
also like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Twitch.

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. 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, Bluefield State
University, Claflin University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University,
Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College,
Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem
State University. For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com, like us on
Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

About Visit Baltimore
Visit Baltimore is the official sales and marketing arm for the City of Baltimore. The
501(c)(6) non-profit organization generates economic benefits for stakeholders through
the attraction of convention, group and leisure visitors. In 2022, 26.7 million people
visited Baltimore for overnight and day trips, spending a total of $3.7 billion to
Baltimore's economy. For more information, please visit Baltimore.org.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Martine Charles, martine@marcglobalcommunications.com, direct: 206-295-9114
Jenny McIntosh, jenny@marcglobalcommunications.com, direct: 480-202-7112