CIAA Tournament Tips
With the 2018 CIAA basketball tournament in the books, the time has come to plan ahead for the 2019 CIAA tournament. Changes implemented over the past few years have increased exposure for the popular college basketball tournament. The tourney has added a second venue to move games from morning starts to more television accessible afternoon starting times. ESPN recently signed up to broadcast the featured matchups in prime time.
With the tournament reaching more people, what 2019 CIAA tournament tips do you need to know for making your visit to Charlotte, North Carolina one of the best sporting events you will ever remember?
Book Early for the CIAA Tournament
Since the tournament moved to Charlotte in 2006, attendance has increased every year. Although the number of hotel rooms has increased in the metro area, it is highly recommended visitors to the “Queen City” book hotel rooms as early as possible. This is especially important for 2019 CIAA tournament visitors who plan to stay in a hotel located in uptown Charlotte. Many of the hotels located in uptown recommend booking rooms for CIAA 2019 as early as six months before the tournament starts in late February 2019.
Know Your Way
If you have not visited Charlotte in several years, you might be surprised by the changes to the city. Charlotte has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade, which means myriad businesses have opened in the metro region. What was once a popular deli might have transformed into a bustling nightclub. Spend some time at the official CIAA 2019 website to learn more about what the new Charlotte is all about.
Use Public Transportation
With more than 100,000 fans expected to attend CIAA weekend 2019, we recommend you consider planning your trip to and within uptown by taking public transportation. Charlotte’s rapid population growth prompted civic leaders to develop a more comprehensive public transportation system. Charlotte is no longer has just a bus only public transportation infrastructure. The city offers a light rail line that quickly transports you from prominent locations outside of uptown into the heart of the city.
Know Your Sports Bars
Some, if not most of the games during CIAA 2019 will be sold out at the Spectrum Center and Bojangles Coliseum. We recommend fans of the tourney that do not have tickets perform a little research to learn about the best sports bars located in uptown, as well as throughout metro Charlotte. The best sports bars for visitors to the “Queen City” also show a wide variety of other sporting events to keep customers happy.
2019 CIAA Tournament Parties
CIAA weekend 2019 is expected to host more CIAA parties than ever before. Celebrities attending past CIAA parties include Jay Z and Ludacris. The 2019 CIAA celebrity lineup has not been announced, but you can rest assured you will mingle with some of the brightest stars in the entertainment business. Our advice to you is treat a celebrity encounter the same way you treat meeting a friend for lunch.
One more thing: Bring enough clothes to ensure optimal comfort in all types of weather. After all, the weather in Charlotte during CIAA 2019 will be like most of the matchups: a coin toss.