Youth Basketball Tournament Heads to Visit Lauderdale

Balling on the Beach, a youth basketball tournament, will bring more than 500 teams to the Broward County Convention Center June 16-18 as Visit Lauderdale and the Broward County Convention Center have partnered with Iconic Creative Agency to host the amateur showcase.

Since its inception in 2018, Balling on the Beach features teams from grades 1-11. The tournament has grown to over 500 teams, with more than 300 teams on a waiting list. For this weekend’s event, 39 basketball courts will be laid at the Broward County Convention Center. And according to Visit Lauderdale’s Vice President of Sports & Entertainment Glen Allen, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

“With our convention center currently undergoing a $1.3 billion expansion, it’s the ideal time for Broward County to host a tournament of this caliber,” said Visit Lauderdale Vice President of Sports & Entertainment Glen Allen. “This event will attract more than 5,000 participants and over 10,000 accompanying family members and spectators.”

Over 90 percent of the participating teams are coming from outside of South Florida. Top teams like NY Gauchos, Team Durant, Rondo Elite, Black Ops. Team Trae Young, and Austin Rivers Elite will be competing this weekend.

“Visit Lauderdale is excited to welcome back Balling on the Beach to Broward County,” said Allen. “With over 500 youth basketball teams traveling to our area, there will be a significant rise in direct visitor spending across the entire county as over 40 hotels are being used.”