Largest Girls Basketball Tournament in the U.S. Tips Off In Louisville
City’s second biggest event is a slam dunk, netting $45.6M in EEI
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (July 10, 2025) – The largest girls’ youth basketball tournament in the country is taking over the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC) and other local courts July 10 through July 15 when both the Run 4 the Roses Classic and Championship return to Louisville.
This year’s tournament is smashing attendance records, bringing together more than 40,000 female athletes, spectators and coaches representing over 2,000 teams, including international teams from Denmark, Sweden, Spain and Australia. KEC is the primary host of the tournament with about 100 basketball courts being utilized, officially cementing this year’s Run 4 the Roses as the largest youth basketball tournament in history.
Originally established in 2009 with only 29 teams, the tournament has experienced record years of growth and is a huge economic boon for the local economy, resulting in $45.6 million estimated economic impact (EEI) for Louisville, with the potential for even more to be realized once the post-event attendance numbers are tallied.
Run 4 the Roses is second on Louisville Tourism’s list for the year’s top events by EEI and KEC is also hosting The Splash/National Championship July 18-21.
Sports media has taken notice of the rising popularity of girls’ youth basketball with ESPN scheduled to broadcast the Run 4 the Roses championship games live on ESPN2 on July 12.
The Kentucky Exposition Center hosts a multitude of sporting events annually – including volleyball, archery, cheer and dance, and martial arts– and continues to grow as a sports destination. To learn more about the facility or check its calendar of events, visit www.kyexpo.org.
Looking to enjoy a sports-themed weekend in Louisville? Guests can use Louisville Tourism’s annual Visitor Guide and to plan an itinerary around Louisville’s top sports experiences including the Kentucky Derby Museum, Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory as well as the Muhammed Ali Center. Travelers also can get attraction, lodging and dining assistance at www.gotolouisville.com as well as catch Louisville’s top things to do in July.
