The Qcity and CIAA are poised to welcome the Feb. 24-28 tournament. But this year, conference officials are requesting that attendees make basketball -- not parties -- their top priority.

Officials say the student athletes vying for the men’s and women’s basketball championships need the encouragement of a packed house in the 18,500-seat TimeWarner Cable Arena. And with nearly 200,000 people expected to gather in Charlotte for tournament activities, they don’t think their request is unreasonable.

“This year’s focus is basketball,” CIAA Public Relations Director Shera White told Qcitymetro.com. “We don’t want our fans and alumni to forget our student athletes.”

But it wouldn’t be CIAA Week without a little glitz and glamour, even with the new focus.

A press conference is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 5, to announce the entertainment lineup planned for timeouts and half-times, as well as other festivities. Names already announced include New York deejay Funk Master Flex and comedian/radio host Mo’Nique.

In an effort to pack the house, tournament officials are offering special ticket deals:

• Group tickets for all 22 games starting at $100 -- or $4.54 a game.
• Student group ticket at $50 with valid ID. (Single tickets not available.)
• Only one ticket needed for all games on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 24-25.

And just to make sure people get the hint, officials added a basketball to this year’s tournament logo and chose the theme “Rock the Rim.”

To help draw attendees for the Saturday, Feb. 28, championship games, a full slate of Super Saturday activities are planned for the arena. These include the Miss CIAA coronation (see related story), cheerleader competition and battle of the bands.

With all the economic uncertainty, White said, CIAA officials are reluctant to predict attendance figures. But some local hotels are offering a 15% discount (with no minimum-stay required), as are participating restaurants, to help ease the financial burden.

Last year’s tournament drew an estimated 181,000 people to all functions. It also generated an estimated $30.7 million in economic activity and raised $2 million in scholarships for CIAA schools.

White said CIAA leaders are so pleased with the tournament’s move from Raleigh to Charlotte that they dropped their usual bidding process and last year agreed to stay in the Qcity for another three years.

“We bought a number of fans from Raleigh to Charlotte,” said White. “But now we’re starting to see a number of fans who haven’t gone to CIAA schools. It’s become so large that it’s a destination point, a vacation for some people.”

For more information, go to www.ciaatournament.org.

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