CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The snow didn't keep Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association fans from flooding into uptown Thursday to take part in all the fanfare the tournament has to offer.
It brings in millions of dollars every year for businesses in Charlotte, but Eyewitness News anchor Eric Philips found out some of the historically black colleges involved wished that money went to their struggling schools.
The tournament nets about $30 million for the city of Charlotte annually, and the event is committed to the Queen City for another five years.
Critics said attendees are more concerned about partying than giving back to historically black colleges and universities, some of which are struggling financially or on the brink of closure.
But attendees insist that's not true.
"That's just what people hear about, but there's a lot more that goes on besides the partying," Jay Featherson said.
A portion of the money from the event goes back to CIAA member schools. But some said it's a drop in the bucket compared to what could be raised if alumni were as dedicated to giving back as they are to having fun.
Johnson C. Smith University and Livingstone College are on the top 10 list of historically black colleges and universities where alumni give the most. Both schools are CIAA members, according to a U.S. News and World Report study.