Hoopfest offers full reimbursement for canceled basketball event

Staff reports

Hoopfest officials have announced that teams can be 100% reimbursed for entry fees for the now-canceled 2021 tournament.

The organization that puts on the 3-on-3 basketball tournament that has become Spokane’s largest event said some partners have provided resources necessary to repay teams.

“Between sponsor support and the belief that a significant number of teams will generously donate their registration fee, we would like to provide these new options,” Hoopfest posted on its website announcing the reimbursement option.

Hoopfest is a nonprofit organization. The event draws tens of thousands of players and fans to downtown Spokane each summer as streets are closed and turned into basketball courts.

But the pandemic has made such large gatherings unacceptable to organizers.

After the 2020 event was canceled, Hoopfest had hoped that it could pull off the games for 2021. But the surge in COVID-19 cases due to the delta variant spread among unvaccinated people dashed those plans for 3,200 teams to participate.

“We were devastated to have to cancel Hoopfest 2021, but the health, safety and well-being of the community and Hoopfest family always come first,” organizers said.

Adult and high school teams for the canceled Sept. 11-12 tournament paid $156 to register.