BCIC has a one-year deal, a Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority spokesperson confirmed to Axios. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Charlotte is rolling from one busy week of college basketball to the next with the Black College Invitational Championship.
Why it matters: HBCU basketball used be a major draw for the city during the CIAA tournament. The tournament's departure for Baltimore left a void.
What to expect: Sixteen teams, both men's and women's, will compete in the inaugural BCIC atBojangles Coliseum March 20-23. Teams from four conferences will be represented.
March 20 will feature CIAA vs. SIAC (Division II) teams, including Charlotte's HBCU Johnson C. Smith.
March 21 will be MEAC vs. SWAC (Division I) teams.
There will also be several events surrounding the tournament, including parties and a spades championship.
The bottom line: "I've got one shot at this," BCIC CEO Wes Bellamy said on The Breakfast Club radio show. "If people don't come and support this year, there will be no year two."
