Will Raleigh rise to the Challange and make the MEAC basketball tournament rival that of the CIAA basketball tournament in Charlotte.

[RALBOI]

Will Raleigh rise to the challange an make the MEAC tournament aleast rival that of the CIAA tournament in Charlotte, at the end of it's three year run in the Capital city so far ticket sale are doing very well for it's first year.I say yes we can, GO RALEIGH!!!!! I still love you too CIAA!

[Tayfromcarolina]

I hope so, but it sort of makes since for charlotte to have it for the next three years. Since Raleigh is building the convention center now. One of the main venues is missing until 2008 anyway so I say why not let Charlotte have it and then in 2009 it can come back to Raleigh when the new convention center, Marriott Hotel, Soleil center, more restuarants and amenities are available. But in the meanwhile hopefully MEAC will grow while here.

[Justin6882]

I doubt seriously the CIAA will ever come back to Raleigh. It might not stay in Charlotte after this contract is up, but I doubt it will come back here. If it moves it will be to an even bigger city.

In the meantime, I am hopeful the MEAC will blossom into a great event for the city. But first they need to work on the commercials...they are terrible! haha

[romec]

The MEAC is nice and all, but I'm still waiting for us to land another F500 and steal the ACC tourney :-). We've already got 2 corporate sponsors, if we had a third, it might help persuade the league to forget this "no home court" policy and play a tourney or two here.

(wishful thinking)

[Justin6882]

^^ Haha that is definitely wishful thinking, but it would be awesome.

[DanRNC]

When Raleigh first got the CIAA from Winston not many people had any idea what it even was. Raleigh did a great job building it up and I think they could do the same with the MEAC. It will also help that NC Central will be joining the CIAA. I'm glad Raleigh didn't overbid for the CIAA-the amount of growth for this tourney is questionable considering it is still Division II.

[dmccall]

We can't have the ACC tourney because the RBC Center is NCSU's home court. In addition, the ACC WANTS to only have the tourney in G-boro and football stadiums now. John Swofford is in the process of selling out everything neat about the ACC.

[Transplant]

The ACC Tourney will be in DC (MCI Center), Boston (<What ever> Garden), Miami (American Airlines Arena), Atlanta (pick venue), or Charlotte before it comes to Raleigh. Sorry to say, the league wants to increase the fan base.

I think DC or Atlanta make good choices, and are still close to the center of the area. G-Boro is still very close to the Big Four, so saying its a neutral court is a stretch.

I should add that the MEAC has the potential to be bigger than CIAA since most fans/players/etc will have to stay in hotels.

[ncwebguy]

I just hope that a few years down the road, when Atlanta, DC or some other city "steals" the CIAA from Charlotte, that Charlotte turns around and "welcomes" the by then a lot more popular MEAC tourney.

As a "thank you" to Raleigh for making the CIAA tournament the event it is now, they packed up and moved away to another location that put teams like Shaw and St. Augs on the road vs. in their city.

It is dismaying how News 14 "Carolina" is covering the CIAA a lot more now that is in Charlotte, even though it barely made the highlight reel when it was hosted at the RBC center.

[Transplant]

It is dismaying how News 14 "Carolina" is covering the CIAA a lot more now that is in Charlotte, even though it barely made the highlight reel when it was hosted at the RBC center.

I used to really like News 14, when it first started and was based in raleigh. Now, half the news is from the Charlotte studio. Maybe its not a big deal, but I feel that they're driving the show.

[RALBOI]

When Raleigh first got the CIAA from Winston not many people had any idea what it even was. Raleigh did a great job building it up and I think they could do the same with the MEAC. It will also help that NC Central will be joining the CIAA. I'm glad Raleigh didn't overbid for the CIAA-the amount of growth for this tourney is questionable considering it is still Division II.

Dan my man Central will be joining the MEAC hopfully and right now i hate too say this but the only growth in question here is the MEAC's growth ,because the CIAA has a rep for being fun in all phases meaning nightlife and all kinds of social events it'was one big party in Raleighwood.

[DanRNC]

Yea, I get sick of them pumping the Bobcats in this market. No one cares.

[RALBOI]

I used to really like News 14, when it first started and was based in raleigh. Now, half the news is from the Charlotte studio. Maybe its not a big deal, but I feel that they're driving the show.

Hey it's still based in Raleigh they actually cut back it's Charlotte operation in favor to be based in the Triangle, but under stand Charlotte is a larger market for right now so alot of there news really our news too because were all from NC will be up their.

[pack-man]

I doubt seriously the CIAA will ever come back to Raleigh. It might not stay in Charlotte after this contract is up, but I doubt it will come back here. If it moves it will be to an even bigger city.

In the meantime, I am hopeful the MEAC will blossom into a great event for the city. But first they need to work on the commercials...they are terrible! haha

No offense to the CIAA, but it isn't getting any bigger than Charlotte. I think it will make Charlotte its home for a while. Unless Raleigh gets its act together and rivals Charlotte, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

[RALBOI]

The ACC Tourney will be in DC (MCI Center), Boston (<What ever> Garden), Miami (American Airlines Arena), Atlanta (pick venue), or Charlotte before it comes to Raleigh. Sorry to say, the league wants to increase the fan base.

I think DC or Atlanta make good choices, and are still close to the center of the area. G-Boro is still very close to the Big Four, so saying its a neutral court is a stretch.

I should add that the MEAC has the potential to be bigger than CIAA since most fans/players/etc will have to stay in hotels.

True and the MEAC schools are alot bigger in enrollment and alumni base so the challange is to get people PUMPED UP!!! for the events.

[RALBOI]

No offense to the CIAA, but it isn't getting any bigger than Charlotte. I think it will make Charlotte its home for a while. Unless Raleigh gets its act together and rivals Charlotte, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Hey you might be right,but not because the triangle NOTICE i said triangle not just Raleigh can't compete with Charlotte,but because their biggest CIAA schools will be joining the MEAC ,that's right central,Winston - Salem state along with A&T IN Greensboro which has been in the MEAC for along time now so my thing is let's not forget the CIAA but let's build the MEAC up because it's really does have more growth options at this point and remember Raleigh will not look the same in three years and Raleigh does not need to be bigger than Charlotte to compete with her as long as our county is growing faster and yes sprawl or what every it is it's still population growth and it's not even on full speed yet!!!

[DanRNC]

Actually Winston Salem State and NC Central will both be joining the MEAC next year. I also heard that sales of tickets have increased dramatically over last year for the MEAC tourney. One of the big complaints about Charlotte, is interestingly enough, parking. I was watching a newscast where people were talking about how much more convenient it was at the RBC Center and seemed like a lot of folks missed Raleigh.

[krazeeboi]

^The parking is mostly an issue during the day, when CIAA attendees have to compete with uptown workers for parking spots. At night, parking isn't really an issue. I think the Bobcats arena's location in the heart of the city more than makes up for any parking issues.

[RALBOI]

Hey!, folks are flowing in for the MEAC tournament i just met the Hampton cheerleaders eating out at the Cheesecake factory in Crabtree DAM THEY LOOKED AWESOME IN THERE WARM UP'S!!!!!!!

[DanRNC]

I'm glad people are coming out for the tourney because the media around here spent more time on the CIAA leaving for Charlotte than they have for the MEAC coming.

[RALBOI]

I'm glad people are coming out for the tourney because the media around here spent more time on the CIAA leaving for Charlotte than they have for the MEAC coming.

Your right but after this weekend the media will give the MEAC it's respect alot of people will be flooding into the city for the parties and events, the media wants to judge the foot traffic at the arena as the key for it's success but that's not the way it works with a black basketball tournaments, hell even the CIAA was empty most of the week in the stands,before people flooded into the city for the for the parties the CIAA stayed packed on friday and saturday nights when the majority of folks were off for the weekend am not going to say this event is going to bigger than the CIAA ,but it will be very large at the end of 08 trust me!!

[DanRNC]

The fact that NC Central and WSSU will be in the MEAC next year will elevate this tourney to a higher level.

[Sabaidee]

WSSU is having problems now, the majority of the student population is sad to leave the CIAA. Our Chancellor is rumored to be leaving for a MEAC school, NC A&T. NC A&T's Chancellor is leaving this year and WSSU's Chancellor was one of finalists when NC A&T's Board of Trustees chose its current Chancellor. It was our Chancellor that created the idea to move to the MEAC, and he has done great things for our campus, but the thing is, he wanted WSSU to be just like his old altar matar, NC A&T. WSSU and NCCU both have dreaded NC A&T, there will always be a rivalry between those three. Well, ironically, WSSU and NCCU cannot play in the MEAC Tournment while it's in Raleigh for its current contract and NC A&T, the only North Carolina MEAC school is already out of the first rounds of the tournment. WSSU will likely be admitted to MEAC in 2008 and will be able to play in the championship in 2009 and NCCU is a year behind in the long transition process after WSSU.

[Durhamite]

I thought both WSSU and NCCU were joining the MEAC next year but I'm sure you're right about the staggered process (2008 & 2009).

Dr. Harold Martin (Chancellor @ WSSU), was the Chairman of Electrical Engineering in the mid 80's when I was there and I know him quite well. He later became Dean of Engineering and VP of Internal Affairs (or one of those VP titles) at A&T. Many alumni were upset when the current Chancellor was selected over Dr. Martin (I was astonished).

Dr. Martin was key in elevating the engineering program to what is today and although strong, hasn't been the same since his departure.

Question - Will NCCU and WSSU still compete in the CIAA until the transition actually occurs???

[Durhamite]

"NC A&T's Chancellor is leaving this year and WSSU's Chancellor was one of finalists when NC A&T's Board of Trustees chose its current Chancellor"

I could be wrong but I think Chancellor's for state supported universities are selected by the North Carolina Board of Governors (Board of something)...or else I think he would've been a shoe in for the Chancellorship at A&T (I don't think anyone from A&T had a say in the matter).