FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CIAA ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC MEDIA RIGHTS PARTNERSHIP WITH URBAN EDGE NETWORK AND VAN WAGNER
Partnership expands distribution of CIAA athletics while creating new opportunities for audience growth, brand engagement and revenue generation
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — [September 2, 2026] — The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA®), Urban Edge Network LLC (UEN) and Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment (VWSE) today announced a strategic media rights partnership that will expand the distribution and visibility of CIAA athletics while creating new opportunities to grow audiences, generate revenue and strengthen the long-term value of CIAA controlled content.
The partnership represents another step in the CIAA's continued strategy to strengthen the CIAA Sports Network https://theciaasn.com/ and maximize the value of conference content. By combining CIAA athletics with UEN's digital distribution and advertising technology and Van Wagner's multimedia rights and sponsorship expertise, the collaboration creates an expanded media ecosystem designed to serve CIAA member institutions, student-athletes, fans and commercial partners.
The initial agreement is structured as a one-year assessment period with an option to extend it for an additional three years.
As part of the partnership, UEN will carry a strategically selected package of CIAA regular-season and championship programming. The initial schedule will include four regular-season CIAA football games, three regular-season CIAA Men & Women basketball games and select CIAA Conference Championship events produced by Van Wagner/CIAA.
Programming will be selected through a strategic, data-informed approach that considers participating institutions, geographic markets, audience demographics, projected viewership and opportunities to expand the visibility of CIAA athletics throughout the year.
"The CIAA has been intentional about building a media strategy that allows us to expand the visibility of our institutions and student-athletes while also recognizing the value of the content we own," said CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams Parker. "This partnership represents another important step in that work. By bringing together the CIAA, Urban Edge Network and Van Wagner, we are creating additional pathways for our fans to experience CIAA athletics, for our institutions to receive greater exposure and for our conference to build sustainable value around our brand. Most importantly, we are doing it in a way that honors who we are, the communities we represent and the legacy we continue to build."
At the center of the partnership is the CIAA's continued commitment to strengthening control of its content, expanding the reach of its member institutions and creating sustainable opportunities that increase the long-term value of conference media rights.
Through UEN's technology ecosystem, CIAA programming will have access to expanded digital advertising capabilities, including programmatic video, dynamic ad insertion, audience targeting, campaign optimization and real-time reporting. These capabilities provide brands and agencies with additional opportunities to engage CIAA audiences while creating new avenues for the conference to monetize its media inventory.
The partnership also provides a bridge between ownership and scale. The CIAA maintains its identity and control around its media ecosystem and commercial opportunities, while UEN provides technology, monetization infrastructure and expanded distribution designed to bring CIAA content to a broader marketplace.
"This partnership is about much more than broadcasting games. It is about ownership, technology and creating an economic infrastructure around HBCU content," said Hardy L. Pelt, Founding Member and Chief Revenue Officer of Urban Edge Network LLC. "We believe conferences like the CIAA should be empowered to control their media platform and the value created by their student-athletes, institutions and fans, while simultaneously having access to world-class ad technology and distribution. Our role is to provide that infrastructure and connect it directly to the brands, agencies and holding companies that want to reach this audience."
The partnership comes at a time when the cultural and economic influence of Black consumers continues to grow. Nielsen data projects Black American buying power at approximately $2.1 trillion in 2026, while research also indicates that Black consumers are increasingly attentive to brands that authentically reflect and engage their culture.
The broader HBCU community represents a significant economic and cultural force as well. According to UNCF's 2024 HBCU Economic Impact Report, America's HBCUs generate approximately $16.5 billion in annual economic impact and support more than 136,000 jobs.
Together, these audiences underscore the opportunity surrounding HBCU athletics, which sits at the intersection of education, culture, competition, community and consumer influence.
Expanding the Value of CIAA Media
Through the partnership, CIAA content will benefit from expanded digital distribution and advertising capabilities designed to increase exposure, strengthen audience engagement and create additional revenue opportunities.
For CIAA member institutions and fans, the model provides greater opportunities to showcase conference athletics while preserving the distinctive identity, history and cultural relevance that have defined the CIAA for more than a century.
For brands and agencies, the partnership creates access to premium live sports content and measurable digital inventory while providing opportunities to authentically engage one of the most culturally influential audiences in sports.
Van Wagner Helps Structure Strategic Partnership
As the CIAA's multimedia rights and sponsorship partner, Van Wagner played a key role in structuring the agreement and aligning the conference's media, sponsorship and commercial objectives with UEN's distribution and technology capabilities.
The collaboration is designed to protect and grow the value of CIAA-controlled media rights while creating additional opportunities for audience development, sponsorship integration and digital monetization.
"The CIAA has a powerful brand, a loyal audience and compelling content that creates tremendous opportunity in today's media marketplace," said Julius Grant III, Senior Vice President at Van Wagner. "Our goal was to help structure a partnership that protects the value of those assets while expanding the conference's ability to reach fans and create meaningful opportunities for brand partners. UEN's technology and distribution capabilities complement the CIAA's vision, and we believe this partnership creates a strong foundation for continued growth."
Together, the CIAA, Urban Edge Network and Van Wagner are building a media model designed to increase the visibility and value of CIAA athletics while creating sustainable opportunities for the conference and its member institutions.
The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that the growth of HBCU sports media creates meaningful value for the institutions, student-athletes, fans and communities at the center of the experience.
About the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (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 12 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, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State University.
For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
About Urban Edge Network LLC
Urban Edge Network LLC (UEN) is a Black-owned sports media and technology company delivering live and on-demand sports programming through an expanding digital distribution ecosystem. UEN provides streaming, advertising technology, programmatic monetization and content distribution solutions designed to help collegiate conferences, institutions and sports properties maximize the reach and economic value of their media rights.
With a portfolio spanning HBCU athletics, NAIA conferences, professional basketball and other live sports properties, UEN combines sports content with digital advertising and distribution capabilities designed to connect sports properties and their audiences with brands, agencies and advertising partners.
About Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment
Van Wagner is a leading sports advertising and entertainment agency with global expertise in live events, sponsorship sales, multimedia rights and aerial advertising. Van Wagner creates, advises and sells on behalf of teams, leagues, brands and properties across collegiate and professional sports.
Media Contacts
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)
Matisse S. Lee, MBA
Senior Associate Commissioner, Communications & Marketing, Special Projects / SWA
mlee@theciaa.com
Urban Edge Network LLC
Brendan Royal
Head of Special Projects
Brendan@urbanedgnetwork.org
Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment
Julius Grant III
Senior Vice President
704-277-4212