Basketball Hall of Fame announces plans for 2022 enshrinement weekend

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - The plans for this year’s Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement have been released and only some of those events will be taking place in Springfield.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said the Basketball Hall of Fame is contracted to have some of their events elsewhere, but he’s excited to welcome the enshrinement ceremony back to Springfield.

The city of Springfield is well known for being the birthplace of the popular sport of basketball with the Basketball Hall of Fame drawing people in from all over, especially during the annual enshrinement ceremony.

The hall recently released their class of 2022 weekend schedule. On Friday, September 9, a class of 2022 autograph session and a Tip-Off enshrinement celebration and awards gala will be held at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. On Saturday, September 10, the actual enshrinement ceremony and red-carpet show will occur at Symphony Hall in Springfield.

However, why won’t both days be held in Springfield, especially now that COVID-19 restrictions have been completely lifted? Sarno told Western Mass News the Hall of Fame is contractually obligated to host these events at Mohegan Sun.

“They are in a contractual agreement, I believe it’s a 10-year agreement, with Mohegan Sun,” Sarno said.

They signed that contract in 2018 and Sarno told us it’s a 10 year contract, but he hopes by the time it’s up, MGM Springfield will have a shot at being the host.

“I’d like to see continued efforts, especially when this contractual negotiation is done, to house and have every event here, that the Basketball Hall of Fame does,” Sarno added.

He hopes that now with life returning to somewhat normal after the pandemic, the Basketball Hall of Fame will do more community events and get Springfield families involved.

“I’d like to see more community events, especially free community events for the public that the young kids and families can be involved in,” Sarno explained.

Basketball Hall of Fame President and CEO John Doleva said in a statement:

“The Hall of Fame is entirely comfortable with our current schedule of events celebrating Enshrinement which includes the Internationally broadcast Enshrinement Gala and Induction Ceremony in Springfield bringing the world of basketball together in the city for this grand annual occasion. Further, the Hall of Fame continues to consistently produce other events held in Springfield such as the nationally acclaimed Hoophall Classic in January, special events like the 50th Anniversary of Title IX event held in conjunction with the The Springfield Forums in June, and of course we are a major tourism driver for the region; in fact our visitation is up 45% from pre-Covid levels and last month, July, was the highest attendance the Hall of Fame has ever achieved in its 63 year history.”

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