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State basketball crowds soar at Tacoma Dome, best attendance in nearly a decade
The noise built steadily all week. By the time the 2026 championship trophies were handed out at the 3A and 4A basketball tournaments at the Tacoma Dome last Saturday night, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) had drawn its biggest crowds in nearly a decade — fueled by a superstar prospect, a hometown title run and diehard fans willing to drive over the mountains.
The News Tribune requested and received attendance totals from the WIAA this week. They paint a pretty picture: 34,540 fans attended the state tournaments at the Tacoma Dome, one of three state basketball sites across the state. The 2A and 1A tournaments are played in Yakima, while the 2B and 1B tournaments are played in Spokane.
In Tacoma, that’s an increase of 7,130 tickets sold this year after 27,410 tickets were sold in 2025. It’s the best attendance in Tacoma in nearly a decade; the WIAA sold 35,743 tickets in 2017, when the Michael Porter Jr.-led, Brandon Roy-coached Nathan Hale squad was the talk of the town.
There were three factors that likely contributed to the 26 percent jump in ticket sales this year:
- All eyes were on Rainier Beach senior Tyran Stokes, the nation’s No. 1 rated recruit. Stokes moved from California and transferred to Rainier Beach for his senior year. He led the Vikings to back-to-back 3A titles last weekend, giving longtime Beach coach Mike Bethea his 10th ring.
- Hometown Lincoln High School, just up the road from the Tacoma Dome, advanced to the 3A state championship game. The hometown crowd packed the Dome to see the Abes, also buoyed by the “Tacoma vs. Seattle, 253 vs. 206” narrative with the matchup against Rainier Beach.
- Richland played in the 4A state championship game, beating defending champion Gonzaga Prep. Logic would dictate a matchup of two eastside schools in the championship game would equal fewer tickets sold, but Richland’s student section was the biggest and loudest in the tournament by far. Don’t count out Bombers support.
Richland won the 4A boys title, Rainier Beach won 3A boys, Davis (Yakima) won 4A girls and Eastside Catholic won the 3A girls crown.
PAST ATTENDANCE NUMBERS AT TACOMA DOME
2026: 34,540
2025: 27,410
2024: 25,656
2023: 31,031
2022: 32,311
2021: No tournament
2020: 24,228
2019: 27,288
2018: 26,650
2017: 35,743
2016: 27,797
