Five Reasons Why the MEAC Basketball Tournament Belongs in North Carolina

From all indications, the MEAC Basketball Tournament will stake its claim somewhere in the state of North Carolina beginning in 2009. Whether that city is Raleigh, the location that yielded a 30 percent increase in tournament attendance last year, or Winston-Salem, where Winston-Salem State University hopes to host some of the tournament events, is still up in the air.

But no matter the city, North Carolina is the best state to host the MEAC Basketball Tournament. Here's five reasons why.

5. Recent success - The MEAC shouldn't fix what's not broken. It would be one instance if no city in the state wanted them, but if there are venues that can adequately support the event, they should remain where the identity and energy of the tournament is currently at its strongest.

4. No ACC Tournament competition - The 2009 ACC Tournament will be hosted in Atlanta, which allows more accommodations for MEAC fans, and presents the conference as a more affordable option for local basketball fans wanting to see great college basketball.

3. Member school proximity - Having attended the tournament last season, the drive from Maryland to North Carolina is not a bad one, and as long as the northern institutions are viable competitors in the tournament, they will still be able to draw large numbers. Which brings in the third point...

2. North Carolina pride - When you mix in Aggie Pride with delegations from North Carolina Central and Winston-Salem State, the tournament is guaranteed to be successful on the backs of North Carolinians. Because the state has a high concentration of HBCUs, a location in state will mean black college basketball throughout the month of March. Especially when you consider....

1. The MEAC can capitalize on the success of the CIAA - With the CIAA Basketball Tournament in Charlotte, and several of the MEAC schools resonating with CIAA loyalists as former CIAA teams, there should be an even greater turnout of fan support in 2009. When it comes to black college basketball, there's really nothing finer than North Carolina.