CIAA Watching Ticket Sales, Fans Gather in Uptown

CHARLOTTE, NC — CIAA weekend concerts and parties are underway Friday in Uptown Charlotte, but tournament leaders and the city are anxious to find out if ticket sales have leveled out after predictions that they would be lower than usual this year.

The CIAA weekend crowd packed Uptown, bringing the entertainment and money to Charlotte.

“Hey! Hey! I do what I do!” said Clarence Gale.

It’s the 78-year-old’s seventh CIAA.

One in the crowd that stretched from the Epicenter to Spectrum Arena, but fans say something is different inside.

“The crowd is not as big as it usually is,” said Ida Walden.

CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams says the board is watching ticket sales closely because, like other tournaments, the CIAA debated staying in the Queen City after the state passed House Bill Two.

“The more tickets we sell, the more butts in seats, the better justification we have for staying in a community,” said McWilliams. “The economic impact can’t just benefit the city. It also has to benefit the return to our member institutions.”

Fans spent nearly $32 million in Charlotte during CIAA last year.

The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority says the tournament blocked off nearly 34,000 hotel rooms for this week. We won’t know how many were filled until at least Wednesday.

At Friday’s games, Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts pressed the importance of keeping CIAA here.

“I think people recognize the real spirit of Charlotte is inclusive, diverse, welcoming, but when they see a bill like that at the state level, they have questions. So, I stay call your state representatives,” said Mayor Roberts.

But for the night, fans like 78-year-old Gale aren’t sweating the crowd size.

“I get the party jumping. I don’t come to sit down! I come to get down!” said Gale.