HBCU GO has announced a 10-year media partnership with the CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) to receive exclusive coverage of all CIAA sports, per a release by Allen Media Group obtained by HBCU Pulse. HBCU GO will receive cable, linear, streaming, broadcast, VOD, and pay-per-view rights for all CIAA teams until 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, Founder and Chairman of Allen Media Group. Allen Media Group owns HBCU GO.

CIAA commissioner Jacqie McWilliams-Parker added, “This media deal with AMG is a game changer for the CIAA and unprecedented in Division II. We will expand the CIAA Sports Network platform through HBCU GO to give greater exposure for our 13 member schools and their student-athletes. 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. 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.”

Starting this season, HBCU GO will broadcast five CIAA football games on TheGrio Cable Television Network, including the 2023 CIAA Football Championship. HBCU GO and The Grio will be the new home of the Championship, succeeding Aspire TV who broadcasted the game for the past few seasons. The games will also be broadcast by CBS-owned-and-operated duopoly stations across major television markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Atlanta, among others. The CIAA will also stream other team sporting events throughout the season live through the CIAA Network. Video-on-demand rights will be granted exclusively to HBCU GO.

A portion of the revenue generated by the partnership will be invested in upgrading the sports and broadcast equipment across the CIAA's 13 member schools. The goal is to make sure that all member schools in the conference will be able to broadcast games that match industry standards, following up on assessments that were done on each campus in the summer to determine what was needed.