SPOKANE, Wash. — Now that Hoopfest 2020 has been pushed back to August from its original July date over coronavirus concerns, questions remain as to how the organization came to that decision and what will happen if the August date doesn't work out either.
Matthew Santangelo, executive director of Hoopfest, says the organization was lucky they even had a backup plan.
"We're talking about a citywide event that literally shuts down all of downtown," Santangelo said. "We're really fortunate in the fact that we were able to identify an alternative date at all."
Santangelo said the decision to move the event was centered around health and safety, and how comfortable they believed people would feel participating.
"Really it was just about the consideration of the health and safety, the current state of the virus, and people's confidence to come back out and connect," he said.
When asked if the event would look different because of the coronavirus, Santangelo said it most likely would, but the specifics are still uncertain.
"We’re trying to identify a fair expectation for the size of the event, the physical layout of the event, what downtown looks like in August versus June, and then ultimately what types of guidelines will be in place from a social distancing stand point in August versus what they are today," Santangelo said.
"Also, can we modify the event? Can we put courts further apart from each other? Can we create more open space in downtown on Hoopfest weekend? All those things we are working with professionals to help advise us on that," he added.
If August doesn't work out, Santangelo says the organization isn't sure if the event will be canceled, but that they're determined to move forward with Hoopfest 2020.
"Our commitment is to make it work, if it’s you and I in my backyard on December 31, Hoopfest 2020 is going to happen one way or another, that’s our priority," Santangelo said. "But health and safety is number one, I want to emphasize that - because we’re not going to overlook the inherent risk in large group gatherings, or that social distancing can be a challenge."
Still, Santengelo wants people to be able to see Hoopfest as something to look forward to this year.
"Right now more than ever we are struggling because we want to feel that connection with our loved ones with our family, with the community, Hoopfest is a wonderful stage to do that," he said. "When the opportunity comes back for Hoopfest to get back on the stage, we’re going to be hungry for that connection... so I think that hoopfest really can be that light at the end of the tunnel for us."