The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Board of Directors voted last week to approve Durham as the site of the CIAA Football Championship starting in 2025 through 2027. The championship will be hosted by the Durham County Sports Commission, with Durham County Memorial Stadium (DCMS) as the event's selected venue.

Bids were also submitted by the cities of Charlotte and Salem, Virginia. The Board reviewed several factors in its decision to move to Durham, including facility use and staffing, team support, opportunities for community engagement, and involvement of the local business community.

"Durham has great history with this event, and we are immensely proud to once again be hosting the CIAA Football Championship in Durham," said Marcus Manning, Executive Director of the Durham Sports Commission. We are dedicated to showcasing our vibrant community here in Durham, while also celebrating diversity and creating an unforgettable experience for fans, spectators, and student-athletes."

The football championship has been held at DCMS previously from 2008-2012 and 2014-2015, pulling in crowds of over 10,000 fans. The CIAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship is already hosted by the Durham Sports Commission at the same venue in accordance with a three-year agreement that commenced in 2023 and will run through 2025. CIAA-member Shaw University currently hosts its home football and soccer games at the venue.

Durham County Memorial Stadium is an all-star venue located just minutes from lodging, restaurants, and everything else that makes the City of Champions so unique. The facility can accommodate plenty of tailgating and cultivate the passionate atmosphere CIAA fanbases are known to bring. The Durham Sports Commission is committed to stewarding Durham's passion for sports and to bring DCMS to life during the CIAA Football Championships, all the while helping to fulfill the CIAA's vision for supporting student-athletes and uplifting community relationships.

"What an incredible opportunity to show off all Durham has to offer," said Dr. Kimberly Sowell, Durham County Manager. "Recent renovations to the stadium, including a new synthetic grass pitch, video scoreboard, and sound system, are sure to significantly enhance the experience and take it to the next level. Here in Durham, we are a city of champions, and we look forward to sharing that tenacious spirit with all who come for the event."

Over the past few years, Durham County Memorial Stadium has undergone a series of renovations and upgrades that have helped make it a more attractive venue for many varied events and programs.

"Durham County Memorial Stadium, originally built in the 1950's and renovated in the 2000's, has undergone significant enhancements to better serve the community and attract championship-level events," said Stadium Manager Zachary Pritchard. "These all have elevated our stadium to a new level. These upgrades, along with the continued support from our partners and community, strongly contributed to the CIAA Football Championship returning to Durham in 2025."

Salem has been the home of the CIAA championship since 2017 and it is commended for its expertise and a job well done for not only CIAA championships for the past 7 years, but its celebration in 2023 for hosting over a 100 NCAA events.

The transition back to Durham provides an opportunity to further grow the football championship and highlight the CIAA's mission including Leadership, Legacy, and Community.

"The CIAA looks forward to returning to Durham County Memorial Stadium," explained Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams. "Our recent media rights partnership with HBCU Go gives us the opportunity to showcase our top teams in a centralized location, again where the football championship has thrived in the past. The CIAA will have an opportunity to engage in the community beyond the game in a way that supports the mission of the conference."

About the CIAA

Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first, and longest running, African American athletic conference in the U.S. and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. The CIAA conducts 14 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. The Basketball Tournament has been honored as a 2019 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, for both 2018 and 2019.

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 13 member institutions: Bowie State University, Bluefield State University, Claflin University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Saint Augustine's University, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State University. For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

About Durham Sports Commission

The Durham Sports Commission (DSC) is a collaboration of the City of Durham, the County of Durham, the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce and Discover Durham. The DSC was established in 2016 as a 501(c)(3) with a mission to create economic and social impact by leading the community's efforts to attract, support, and promote youth, amateur, collegiate, and professional sporting and recreational events and is operated by Discover Durham. The DSC provides leadership for sports-based initiatives and creates positive economic impact and quality of life in Durham and the surrounding region. Be sure to follow the DSC on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with all sports-related news in Durham, NC, and other announcements.