Delaware Sports Commission announces Slam Dunk hiatus
After a decade of hosting the renowned Slam Dunk to the Beach High School Basketball Tournament, the Delaware Sports Commission has announced a temporary hiatus in organizing and hosting the event in order to assess the evolving landscape of elite high school basketball.
Since the relaunch of the tournament in 2014, Slam Dunk to the Beach has become a holiday tradition for Sussex County each December while generating great awareness for the county and the state through televising and streaming the games, and using social media to highlight the tourney. The event also generated millions of dollars in economic impact through the out-of-state teams and fans who traveled to the First State each December. Slam Dunk to the Beach has been a cornerstone event in the elite high school basketball community, attracting top-tier talent and teams, and serving as a platform for aspiring athletes to showcase their skills.
Dr. Matthew Robinson, DSC chair, said, “As the elite high school basketball landscape continues to evolve, we thought it would be prudent to take a step back and evaluate how best to continue supporting and promoting the event moving into the future. When we relaunched the event in 2014, we made two important promises – one, to offer the highest quality of high school basketball for our fans. Second, we wanted to be fiscally responsible in that we would pay our vendors and meet our obligations to our sponsors. I feel for the past 10 years we have lived up to those promises. The changing landscape will make it a challenge to continue fulfilling those promises.”
While the DSC and Slam Dunk to the Beach are on sound financial footing, the temporary break will allow the DSC to assess current trends, engage with stakeholders and explore innovative approaches in order to make an informed decision on how to best move forward. During this hiatus, DSC leadership plans on remaining committed to supporting sporting events in the state of Delaware in collaboration with the Delaware Tourism Office.
“Slam Dunk to the Beach has been a beloved community event in Sussex County since its inception – bringing top high school basketball talent to our state and introducing Delaware to new visitors each year,” said Delaware Tourism Office Director Jessica Welch. “While we are disappointed to see the event taking a hiatus, we recognize the challenges faced by its organizers amidst a changing environment in high school sports. Our office has been a proud partner of Slam Dunk for several years, and we would welcome its return in the future.”
Over the years, the tournament has celebrated unforgettable moments and showcased a generation of young athletes who have excelled at the elite levels of college basketball and the NBA. Current NBA players Cam Reddish (LA Lakers), Donte DiVincenzo (NY Knicks), Dereck Lively II (Dallas Mavericks), Jonathan Kuminga (Golden State Warriors), Immanuel Quickley (Toronto Raptors) and Mo Bamba (Philadelphia Sixers) are a few of the alumni to have passed through Cape Henlopen High School over the past 10 years. The talent brought some of the most iconic college coaches to Sussex County to view the players, including national championship-winning coaches Jay Wright, Villanova University; Roy Williams, University of North Carolina; John Calipari, University of Kentucky; and Danny Hurley, University of Connecticut.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has been a part of the Slam Dunk to the Beach journey over the past decade,” Robinson said. “We understand that this decision may disappoint fans, players, coaches and partners who have been integral to the success of the Slam Dunk to the Beach, but know your support and dedication have been instrumental in making this event a beacon of excellence in high school basketball nationally. The Delaware Sports Commission and the Slam Dunk to the Beach tournament sincerely thank everyone for their understanding and support.”
