The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association - Special Section

Ebony, Feb, 2004

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

THE $$$$$$$$ HARVEST

THE educational harvest reaped from the annual CIAA tournament is abundant, with revenues generated from TV contracts, ticket sales and corporate sponsorships.

Last year, the tournament had the third-highest attendance for a conference championship behind the Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference finals, which translates into big money for CIAA schools. In 2003, the tournament generated more than $750,000 for the general scholarship fund, which benefits the 12 schools in the conference, according to CIAA officials.

But the educational harvest is not limited to economics. CIAA officials also credit the tournament with increasing the visibility of the member schools, which has led to a 12 percent jump in African-American attendance at all North Carolina CIAA campuses in the last five years.

In center-court presentation, then-conference president Dr. Dorothy Cowser Yancy receives $600,000 check (above) from corporate sponsor Coca-Cola. Presenting the check are (l. to. r.) Doug Coffey, vice president and regional manager, Coca-Cola North America; Terry Peterson, target marketing manager, Coca-Cola; Don Coleman, director of marketing; and Richard Franklin Sr., marketing activation manager, Coca-Cola USA. Ford Motor Co. (right) donated $277,000 to the CIAA. Archie Kindle (l. to r.) president, Plaza Ford Lincoln Mercury; Bernard McGraw, district manager, Ford Parts & Services, Atlanta Region; and UniWorld Group executive James Malone presented the check to Dr. Yancy. The Tom Joyner Foundation (below) also received a check for $250,000 from Anheuser-Busch.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Corporate sponsor Food Lion presented Dr. Yancy with a check for $277,000, delivered by Food Lion representative Natalie Taylor, former vice president for diversity, while Stan Lewter, TV analyst conducts an interview. In another presentation (below), Dianne Williams, a UniWorld executive, and Grant Walker, director of ethnic field marketing, Burger King, presented a $100,000 check to Dr. Yancy. Bank of America helped students at CIAA member schools by donating $100,000 (bottom). The presenters included (l. to r.) Milton H. Jones Jr., corporate quality & productivity executive, Bank of America; Belva Wallace, an insurance executive; and Victor Branch, senior vice president, Bank of America.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]