For three days in February 2025, during the CIAA Basketball Tournament in Baltimore, Baltimore Sound Entertainment ran a custom trading card photo op for Under Armour. Guests stepped in front of the camera and walked away as a collectible player card. It was a simple idea built to fit the biggest week in HBCU basketball, in the brand’s hometown.
At a glance
- Client: Under Armour
- Venue: Under Armour Flagship Store, Baltimore
- Date: February 23, 24 and 26, 2025, during the CIAA Tournament
- Guests: About 150 per day
- What BSE provided: Custom trading card photo activation with cards printed on site, plus a photo booth on the final day
In this post
The brief
The CIAA Tournament is a full week in Baltimore. In 2025 the men’s and women’s tournaments ran February 25 through March 1 at CFG Bank Arena, and the free CIAA Fan Fest filled the Baltimore Convention Center on February 28 and March 1. It was also the 50th year of the women’s tournament.
Under Armour has a real stake in that week. The brand is headquartered in Baltimore and has been the CIAA’s exclusive apparel partner since 2018, outfitting member schools with uniforms, footwear and gear. In 2025 that deal was extended through 2029, the same year Baltimore’s run as host city is set to last.
So the ask was not “put up a photo booth.” It was a photo op that felt like basketball and fit a brand that already dresses the conference’s players.
What we built
We built a custom trading card activation. A guest steps up, gets photographed, and that photo drops into a branded player card layout. The result looks like something you would pull from a pack, except the player is you.
The card design did most of the work. Guests got their card printed on the spot, which meant they left with something to keep and something to post.
Because the run was three days at about 150 guests each, the setup had to reset cleanly every morning and move a steady line without the experience feeling rushed.
The moment that landed
The reveal. A photo is nice. Seeing yourself as a player card, framed like the athletes on the court a few blocks away, gets a different reaction. People pose differently when they know the shot is going on a card, too. They square up, hold the ball, give the camera a game face.
Our behind-the-scenes video below shows the activation from setup to finished card.
Why it worked
The takeaway for planners: build the photo op around the event’s own language, not around the camera. At a basketball tournament, a trading card is native. Everyone already knows what it is, what to do in front of it, and why they would want one. A generic backdrop asks guests to invent a reason to stop. A player card gives them the reason.
The second lesson is about the takeaway itself. A card is a thing people keep. A branded object that lives on a desk or in a wallet keeps working for the sponsor long after the event weekend ends.
It also helps to know the client. This was not BSE’s first Under Armour booking. We DJed their Back to School event in 2023 for about 500 guests, a Banna Ball event in July 2025, and two Under Armour DJ events in August 2025 at the Under Armour Flagship Store and at Under Armour Columbia Mall. Repeat work means fewer surprises on load-in day.
FAQ
How does a custom trading card photo booth work?
A guest is photographed at a branded station, and the photo is placed into a custom card template built for the event. The finished card can be printed, shared digitally, or both, depending on what the brand wants guests to leave with.
Is a trading card activation a good fit for a sports sponsorship?
Yes. Sports fans already understand player cards, so there is no learning curve. The format puts the guest next to the sport, and the brand sits right on the card.
Can a photo activation run for several days in a row?
It can. For the Under Armour CIAA run we operated three event days at about 150 guests each. Multi-day runs need a setup that resets fast each morning and a crew plan that keeps the line moving all day.
Can BSE add a DJ to a brand activation?
Yes. BSE provides DJs, live music, lighting and AV alongside photo activations, and we have DJed several Under Armour events in Baltimore and Columbia. One team running both keeps the schedule and the sound in sync.
Planning a brand activation, sponsor booth or tournament week event in Maryland, DC or Virginia? BSE builds custom photo experiences, from trading cards to Glambot and 360 booths, and can bring the DJ, lighting and production with it. Call 443-405-2378 or reach out below.
