The Spokane Hoopfest Association has put Spokane on the map by hosting the world’s largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament every year, but the organization also quietly builds community basketball courts, organizes Spokane’s AAU basketball program, and hosts basketball clinics for youth and adults.

The annual tournament is usually held the last weekend in June, transforming the streets of downtown Spokane into hundreds of basketball courts. This year it was postponed and scheduled to be held September 11-12, but the growing numbers of COVID cases caused a last-minute cancelation, says executive director Matt Santangelo.

The news came after 3,200 teams had signed up by the mid-August deadline and Hoopfest had already incurred expenses, including purchasing T-shirts for all participants and game balls for each team. “Our priority has always been the health, safety, and wellbeing of our community,” says a statement announcing the cancellation on August 25. “It is with that in mind that we are following the guidance of the authorities to cancel the event.”

The news is also a blow to the association, which has been struggling financially without being able to host the event that accounts for most of its revenue. “We wanted nothing more than to bounce back stronger than ever in 2021,” the statement reads. “To our athletes, volunteers, sponsors and partners, we cannot thank you enough for your enthusiasm, creativity and continued support.”

Last year everyone was optimistic that COVID wouldn’t last long, and the tournament was rescheduled to August. But as things changed, the organization was forced to go to plan B, then C, but it didn’t stop there. “I think we got to double letters,” Matt jokes. “I don’t think we got as far as emojis.”

Matt calls Hoopfest a battleship. It’s a huge undertaking that doesn’t shift course easily. “Last year was a constant battle of planning,” he says. “We really put a lot of emphasis on being flexible, being nimble, being positive.”

In the end Hoopfest was a virtual event last year. They used a program called Home Court to get people involved in their own driveways and backyards. It was fun, but it wasn’t the same, Matt says. “It was not Hoopfest,” he says. “But it was the closest thing we could offer.”

Last year was a difficult one financially for the non-profit organization, which lost its primary revenue stream. “We rely so much on a really large event to make everything float,” he says.

They continued selling merchandise online, including a special Nike sneaker. “When they buy a T-shirt or a basketball, that’s helping support the organization,” he says.

The money raised by Hoopfest does just pay for the annual tournament. Over the years, the Hoopfest Association has donated more than three million dollars, Matt says. They are big supporters of Washington Special Olympics and the association has also built thirty-two community basketball courts in local parks, where they host free basketball clinics in the summer.

The association also partners with Spokane Public Schools to run the Ignite Basketball Association for kids in grades six through eight. They run the Spokane AAU basketball league for boys and girls in grades three through eight. Each year the association also hosts The Fitz Clinic, named after former Gonzaga University head basketball coach Dan Fitzgerald, for elite high school basketball players who participate in a traveling team in the summer. The Fitz Tournament, also for high school players, is an invitational tournament.

The association is also working on the Hooptown USA initiative to designate Spokane as Hooptown USA, Santangelo said. In addition, the Hoopfest Association works to support local basketball programs whenever possible, he says. “It’s all about growing the game,” he says.

Matt says he’s grateful for the community support his organization has received over the years. Even people who don’t play basketball are proud of the annual Hoopfest tournament, Matt says. The community also steps up in terms of providing volunteers to run the massive tournament each year.

“The magic ingredient to Hoopfest is the volunteers,” he says.

Teams that were registered to play this year can choose between donating their registration fee to Hoopfest or receiving a twenty percent refund. The refund is partial because of expenses that have already been paid for. Everyone who registered will still receive a Hoopfest 2021 participant T-shirt and team captains will receive a Hoopfest basketball.

“With your understanding and support we will survive this setback and be ready for Hoopfest 2022,” says the statement announcing the cancellation.