Allen Media Group has announced a new multi-year deal between HBCU GO and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAA).
HBCU GO, the leading media provider for the nation’s 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), has entered a 10-year partnership with CIAA, acquiring the broadcast, cable, streaming, video-on-demand (VOD), and pay-per-view rights to cover all CIAA team sports. The deal lasts to June 30, 2032.
“We are proud to amplify the CIAA and all of their team sports. The rich heritage and legacy of the CIAA and the amazing athletes who have participated in the conference since its inception are a natural fit for HBCU GO,” said Byron Allen, CEO of Allen Media Group and owner of theGrio. “The CIAA is an excellent organization, and Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams-Parker makes this a great partnership because of her phenomenal leadership.”
CIAA sports included in the coverage are regular season games for conference football games, men’s basketball games, women’s basketball games, Olympic sports, and the football championship game. The deal begins with five CIAA football games slated to air live on TheGrio Broadcast Network. The 2023 CIAA Football Championship will air on HBCU Go and CBS-owned broadcast stations nationwide, including markets in Philadelphia, Dallas, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Tampa, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, Sacramento, and Pittsburgh.
CIAA will continue to stream its other team sporting events through the seasons live on its CIAA Network. HBCU GO will receive the first rights for VOD.
McWilliams-Parker calls the 10-year partnership “unprecedented” for Division II college sports and a “game changer” for CIAA. She said the deal will have multi-tiered effects on the conferences and its 13 schools.
“I am excited about the jobs being created, the talent identified, and the stories to be told through a platform developed to give HBCUs well-deserved and long overdue exposure,” said McWilliams-Parker. “This is a great day for CIAA, and we appreciate Byron Allen and his team seeing the value and importance of HBCU sports contributions to the world and how we can continue to work together to provide exposure and economic stability in our communities through sports.”
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