Baltimore and the CIAA are celebrating a record $33.6 million economic impact from the 2026 basketball tournament, another sign of the value HBCUs continue to create for host cities. The figure marks the highest economic impact in the tournament’s five-year run in Baltimore. The CIAA reported that more than 8,200 attended the championship game, a 36 percent increase from the previous year. “The momentum continues to build here in Baltimore,” CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams Parker said. CIAA Tournament delivers millions in visitor spendingVisit Baltimore partnered with Tourism Economics to study spending connected to the tournament.