CIAA Links Up with MySpace to Publicize Tournament

The CIAA athletic conference is now turning to the popular Web site MySpace.com to get word out about their basketball tournament.

The CIAA is one of the most popular brands around the Southeast, with basketball fans clamoring for tickets to this event as early as December. But even with all that hype, the conference is always looking for ways to get even bigger.

“In order to be successful, you got to think out of the box,” said CIAA commissioner Leon Kerry. “We've been inventive. And we've been able to find different things, add different things. It really becomes competitive.”

In order to keep that competitive edge, for the first time the conference has tapping into the social networking aspect of MySpace.

“It’s the going thing,” said CIAA fan Keisha Hill. “I mean, who doesn't have a MySpace account? They should.”

The site offers a blog, along with information about the tournament and party pictures from CIAA events. It's information that’s powered by CIAA fans.

“Millions of kids around the world have a MySpace, and it's a very positive thing for the CIAA,” said high school student Daniel Griffith.
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Griffith is the face of a new generation of fans that the CIAA is reaching by linking up with MySpace.

“If you want information, people on MySpace, they can send it to their friends and they can send it to their friends, you can post bulletins. It'll spread the word,” said high school student Deanna Sommerville.

According to the conference, an estimated 55 percent of people who attend the tournament didn't go to one of CIAA schools. Now with MySpace on board, that number could grow.

“More people, more people, more sponsors,” Sommerville said. “Then we'll beat the NCAA.”

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Latest Comments

Some you are really ignorant. CIAA is not only a black event. 55% of the people that attend are not college students. Why is is when the community causes a problem, the nearest college is blamed. We go to school to keep from being a burden/problem to society but yet and still........you just can't satisfy close-minded, hateful, and ignorant individuals.

EagleGirl
March 1, 2007 12:22 p.m.

gogocrede, I agree with you, the last thing we need is sold out hotel rooms and increased sales tax revenues, because the vast majority of the people who pay the taxes that the city would give away to the CIAA don't own a hotel or a business... we mostly just have regular jobs. I'm aware of the argument that I would somehow benefit as the money trickles down to me, but quite honestly, I would rather just be given my tax money back directly and spend it as I see fit.

nccruzer
March 1, 2007 8:52 a.m.

To the person that responded to my post:

I never mentioned anything about race. Sounds like you have the problem. Not me. What I did have a problem with during the CIAA was all the gas drive-offs, shootings ( there were several directly related to the tournament), fights and drug transactions. I saw it first hand. I was working. I stand by my original post. Good riddance!

narck9
February 28, 2007 10:03 p.m.

geez folks! its not the ciaa fault that they are not in ralegh they was outbidded. get a grip everyone!

romeopm
February 28, 2007 9:01 p.m.

Re: "Good Riddance"

Yeah, the last thing Raleigh needs is sold-out hotel rooms and increased sales tax revenues. Take your money and spend it elsewhere!

Anyway, the latent racism in most of the previous feedback is pathetic. And to the genius who said "it'll never be the NCAA!", the CIAA is part of the NCAA Division II. Step away from your computer.

randoph_simons
February 28, 2007 8:49 p.m.