March 31, 2020

An Important Update Regarding the 2020 National Speech & Debate Tournament

After weeks of careful consideration, conversations with federal, state, and local authorities, as well as the local hosts, we are sad to announce that the National Speech & Debate Tournament will not be hosted in Albuquerque, NM this year due to health concerns from coronavirus (COVID-19). We’re disappointed to have to take this step, but the health and safety of our students, coaches, parents, and volunteers must come first. We are grateful to Trey Smith and the rest of the Albuquerque Local Host Committee for all of the hard work they’ve done to prepare for a tournament this summer, and we look forward to the opportunity to bring the event to Albuquerque in the near future.

During times of crisis, the National Tournament’s mission is even more essential. Speech and debate provides comfort and strength to students. The National Tournament’s platform allows students to share their stories and speak up on the issues they care about, and that platform cannot be abandoned. We remain dedicated to connecting, supporting, and inspiring a diverse community committed to empowering students through speech and debate. That mission leads us to the decision to elevate student voices this year through an online National Tournament.

We know the National Tournament is an important capstone experience to the speech and debate season for many coaches and competitors. Many of our high school seniors have seen their final chances to compete unexpectedly canceled. We understand how disappointed many seniors are, and finding closure for their high school speech and debate careers is very important to us. As such, we are also exploring the possibility of a Senior Open event, where all member seniors who have not qualified to the National Tournament could participate one last time.

We also will recognize our teacher and student members for all of their achievements this year. More information about these online celebrations, the online National Tournament, and the potential Senior Open event will be released in the coming days. Information on canceling existing hotel reservations and other logistics will be added to our website by the end of the week. We understand this is not the National Tournament you expected, but we’re excited to move forward and spotlight the hard work of our students and teachers this year.