Note: All details are tentative and subject to change. Times are shown in CT. If you have questions or concerns about accessibility accommodations, please contact info@speechanddebate.org.

SUNDAY • JUNE 16 (Registration and Expo)
High school tournament registration and the expo will take place Sunday, June 16 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Lone Star Ballroom of the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. The Sheraton also serves as the host hotel for the tournament.

MONDAY AND TUESDAY • JUNE 17-18 (Prelim Rounds/Early Elims/NSDA Student Party)
All preliminary competition of main event speech and debate events will be held at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel with the exception of Public Forum and Big Questions Debate, which will take place at the nearby Crowne Plaza Hotel. All preliminary competition and early elimination competition will occur between 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.

The NSDA Student Party will take place Tuesday evening at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. Coaches of pre-registered students eliminated from main event competition Tuesday will re-register for Wednesday supplemental events through Tabroom.com. Provisions for doing supplemental re-registration in-person will also be made available at the NSDA Student Party.

Note: Middle school registration will occur Tuesday evening.

WEDNESDAY • JUNE 19 (Elim Rounds/Supplemental Events)
All main event elims, including Congressional House quarterfinals and Senate semifinals, and supplemental speech event rounds will be held at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Extemporaneous Debate rounds will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel nearby.

Coaches of pre-registered students eliminated from main event competition or supplemental events on Wednesday will re-register for Thursday consolation events throughout the day online at Tabroom.com.

Middle school competition will begin Wednesday morning.

THURSDAY • JUNE 20 (Elim Rounds/Supp-Cons Events/Interp Finals/Diamond Awards)
Thursday morning, all elimination competition will continue at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel with the addition of Extemporaneous Debate and consolation events. Congressional Senate finals will be held throughout the day along with Congressional House semifinals.

Middle school competition will continue Thursday morning.

Thursday afternoon and evening, attendees will enjoy the national final rounds of World Schools Debate, Program Oral Interp, Humorous Interp, Dramatic Interp, and Duo Interp, as well as the Donus D. Roberts Diamond Assembly, in the Lone Star Ballroom of the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.

FRIDAY • JUNE 21 (Supp-Cons/Main Event Finals and National Awards Assembly)
The remaining main event final rounds (Congressional House, Informative Speaking, United States Extemp, International Extemp, Policy Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, and Original Oratory), as well as the Big Questions Debate, supplemental/consolation event, and middle school finals, will be held throughout the day on Friday at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.

Note: All information is tentative and subject to change. Times are shown in CT.

7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.	Early Registration for Tournament Officials ONLY (Dallas Ballroom A-B)
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.	Tournament Registration for ALL Schools (Dallas Ballroom A-B)
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.	National Tournament Expo (Lone Star Ballroom A-B)
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.	Shop the NSDA Store (Austin Ballroom 3)
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.	Pick UP Pre-ordered Nationals T-Shirts (Austin Ballroom 1)
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.	All Tab Staff Meeting (Lone Star Ballroom C4) • Note: Group meeting, then individual tab breakouts. See below for times/locations.
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.	Speech Tab Meeting (Lone Star Ballroom C2)
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.	Extemp Officials Meeting (Lone Star Ballroom C4)
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.	CX Tab Meeting (Pearl 5)
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.	PF Tab Meeting (Pearl 4)
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.	LD Tab Meeting (Pearl 2)
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.	Congress Tab Meeting (Executive Boardroom)
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.	World Schools Debate Tab Meeting (Pearl 1)
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.	Big Questions Tab Meeting (Pearl 3)
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.	Supp-Cons Tab Meeting (Lone Star Ballroom C3)
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.	First Time at Nationals Coach Reception, presented by the generous contributions of the NSDA staff, the NSDA boosters, their friends, and their families (Houston Ballroom A-C)
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.	African American/Black Coaches’ Caucus, led by Adesuwa Omoruyi (TX) and Aaron Timmons (TX) (State 3)
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.	Hispanic/Latinx Coaches’ Caucus, led by Victoria Beard (TX) and Saul Grullon (NJ) (State 4)
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.	Mandatory Parliamentarian Meeting (Seminar Theater)
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.	District Leadership Luncheon and Awards Ceremony (Houston Ballroom A-C)
1:15 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.	National Student of the Year Finalists – invitation only (Staging Area – City View 1; Interviews – City View 2; Filming – City View 3)
1:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.	World Schools Debate Training (Grand Hall) • Note: This training is required for all World Schools judges. Judges who absolutely cannot attend Sunday must attend the make-up training session Monday at 8:00 a.m. in Lone Star A4.
2:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.	World Schools Debate Demo (Grand Hall) • Note: The demo is open to judges and competitors.
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.	LGBT+ Coaches’ Caucus, led by Crawford Leavoy (NC) and KM DiColandrea (NY) (State Room 3)
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.	Womxn Coaches’ Caucus, led by Jamelle Brown (KS) and Victoria Freeman (NE) (State Room 4)
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.	Asian American Coaches’ Caucus, led by David Long (PA) and Kris Igawa (OR) (State Room 3)
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.	Late Registration – NOT RECOMMENDED (Dallas Ballroom A3) • Note: Coaches who absolutely cannot attend Sunday registration must register Monday morning promptly at 7:00 a.m. in the Tournament Office located in the Press Club room.

The National Speech & Debate Tournament brings more than 4,500 students from more than 1,200 schools from across the country, U.S. territories, and select guest countries together for a week of rigorous competition to determine national champions. Registration will open for schools who have qualified entries in February 2019 at nationals.tabroom.com. Your district chair will alert you when registration has opened. Review more information in the High School Unified Manual.

Tentative Details – June 16-21, 2019

Schedule: Registration for the tournament will occur on Sunday, June 16, 2019. Preliminary rounds will occur on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday with elimination rounds taking place on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Judges: A school must bring at least one judge covering 6 rounds as a condition of registering. View the manual for full requirements.

Lodging: Schools who stay in the hotel block will receive a $25 discount per student. Please book rooms using the housing portal further down this page.

Deadlines: The final deadline to receive all information and payment is May 1, 2019.

Cost: Entry fees are between $75-100 per student. Each school will pay a $200 judge bond that will be returned at the conclusion of the tournament if all judges fulfill their obligation.

The Middle School National Speech & Debate Tournament is an open invitational that attracts more than 850 students from 160 schools from across the country, U.S. territories, and select guest countries. Various public speaking, literary performance, and debate events are offered, which are modeled after the high school National Tournament. Other less-competitive events allow additional fun opportunities for students to exercise their skills.

Students do not need to qualify for the Middle School National Tournament; all eligible entries are welcome, space permitting. As a reminder, only school-based members are allowed to enter the Middle School National Tournament. For any club or organization that does not currently have a school-based membership, the NSDA is eager to work with you to create school-based speech and debate teams. Please contact info@speechanddebate.org for more information. Registration will open on March 1, 2019 at msnats.tabroom.com. Review more information in the Middle School Unified Manual.

Tentative Details – June 18-21, 2019

Schedule: Registration for the tournament will occur on Tuesday, June 18, 2019. Competition will run all day on Wednesday and Thursday. Students who qualify for elimination rounds will compete on Thursday and Friday.

Judges: A school must bring at least one judge per event as a condition of registering. View the manual for full requirements.

Lodging: Teams who do not stay in the hotel block will receive a $25 fee per student. Please book rooms in the block through the housing portal found further down this page.

Deadlines: Entries are due April 24, 2019. Payment is due May 10, 2019.

Cost: Entry fees are between $45-50 per student. Each school will pay a $200 judge bond that will be returned at the conclusion of the tournament if all judges fulfill their obligation.

The Middle School National Speech & Debate Tournament is presented by Summit Debate.

If your team stays within the National Tournament hotel block, you will receive a $25 discount off the current year’s main event entry fee per student. See our FAQ section below for more information.

Online Booking Site » All coaches must use the online booking site. Please do NOT call the hotels directly to book your hotel rooms. Larger teams requiring ten or more rooms, or those teams wishing to pay by check, should contact the Speech & Debate Housing Bureau (managed by Catch Des Moines). Details can be found on the online booking site. Every hotel requires a credit card on file for incidentals and cancellation fees even if you are paying by check. If you are paying by check, please select “Yes” in the field under “Additional Information” on the “Guest Details” page and someone from the Speech & Debate Housing Bureau will follow up with you. For more information, consult our FAQ section below.

Additional Block Hotels » Morning and afternoon traffic jams will make commuting from non-recommended properties a very difficult task and could result in major issues for your team. In addition, the NSDA only has contracts with those properties listed and will not be able to assist you with issues in hotels outside the block. PLEASE DO NOT STAY OUTSIDE THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT HOTEL BLOCK.

Important Notes » Many room reservations within the National Tournament hotel block are subject to an automatic non-refundable two-night deposit per room that will be charged on April 22, 2020. The DoubleTree and Hyatt Place Albuquerque Uptown will charge the two-night deposit at the time of booking. This avoids double booking and allows all attendees equal opportunity to book in the best available properties. Check the online booking site for details.

Please note, there is a five night minimum stay at the Hyatt Regency, DoubleTree, Crowne Plaza, and Marriott Albuquerque.

FAQs about the National Tournament Hotel Block

Why should I stay within the National Tournament hotel block?
As the costs in hosting and executing the National Tournament continue to rise, it has become more and more important that all teams at Nationals stay within the established block of hotel rooms. When negotiating contracts to ensure the best possible rates and benefits to the organization and participants, certain guarantees and room pick up history must be provided to each contracting hotel. Staying in the National Tournament block assists in future rate negotiations and provides essential rebate revenue and complimentary room nights that prevent expenses from being passed off to the participating teams.

When does the hotel block open?
The National Tournament hotel block opened Wednesday, January 15, 2020, at 12:00 p.m. CT.

How do I book a room within the hotel block?
To secure the best hotel rates, all coaches must use the online booking system provided by the Speech & Debate House Bureau (managed by Catch Des Moines). The platform is similar to an Orbitz, Travelocity, or other online booking website, and contains all of the hotel properties negotiated by the NSDA. Enter your check in/check out dates, number of rooms, and number of guests to display a list or map view of available hotels matching your search parameters. You may also filter the results by name, price, or distance to find the best property that fits your team’s needs.

Will I save money by staying within the National Tournament hotel block?
Yes! If your team stays within the National Tournament hotel block, you will receive a $25 discount off the current year’s main event entry fee per student.

HIGH SCHOOL ENTRY FEES
(For middle school entry fees, visit MSNats.tabroom.com).

High School Speech, Lincoln-Douglas, or Congress Entry

• $100 per entry for teams staying OUTSIDE the National Tournament hotel block
• $75 per entry for teams staying WITHIN the hotel block (save $25 per entry)

High School Policy, Public Forum, or Duo Entry

• $200 per entry for teams staying OUTSIDE the National Tournament hotel block
• $150 per entry for teams staying WITHIN the hotel block (save $50 per entry)

High School Big Questions Entry

• $75 per student for teams staying OUTSIDE the National Tournament hotel block
• $50 per student for teams staying WITHIN the hotel block (save $25 per student)

High School World Schools Entry

• $75 per student for teams staying OUTSIDE the National Tournament hotel block
• $50 per student for teams staying WITHIN the hotel block (save $25 per student)

How do I know what competition venues will be used throughout the week?
See above for a tentative overview of the 2020 Albuquerque Nationals site plan. You can also check out an interactive Google map and other local attractions so you can plan your week’s stay in Albuquerque accordingly! (As a reminder, please do not call the hotels directly. Use the online booking site linked below instead.)

Can I cancel or update my room reservation?
Yes! Using the online booking system, coaches may cancel or update their team’s room reservations without penalty until April 22, 2020. Therefore, you are encouraged to book your rooms as early as possible! This should provide ample time and an even playing field for all teams planning to attend the tournament. (Please note that on April 19, 2019, any room reservations within the block that are subject to an automatic two-night, non-refundable deposit per room will be charged. The Sheraton and Doubletree will charge the two-night deposit at the time of booking.)

Can I still earn hotel points through the online booking system?
Yes, you will have the option to add your membership number to the online reservation or present it at check-in.

Can I pay my hotel reservation by check?
Those teams wishing to pay by check should contact the Speech & Debate Housing Bureau (managed by Catch Des Moines). Additional information is available via the online booking site.

I need to book ten or more rooms. What should I do?
Larger teams or districts requiring a block of ten or more rooms should contact the Speech & Debate Housing Bureau (managed by Catch Des Moines). Additional information is available via the online booking site.

Reminders

• Please do NOT call the hotels directly.
• Guarantee the best hotel rates and keep your tournament entry fees low by visiting the online booking system.

We look forward to hosting you and your team in Dallas in June! If you have any questions not answered here, please don’t hesitate to contact the national office at info@speechanddebate.org or (920) 748-6206.

Hertz Discount

Hertz is the Association’s official rental car company!
Visit www.hertz.com or call (800) 654-2240. To reserve special meeting rates, please include CV053L0002 when making reservations. At the time of reservation, meeting rates will be automatically compared to other Hertz rates and the best rate will apply. For complete information, download the Hertz flyer.

Visit Hertz Hertz Convention Number: CV053L0002

 

Flight Discounts

Receive discounts off your flight when you book online with recommended carriers. Some restrictions may apply.

Visit Delta Delta Meeting Event Code: NY2PQ

Visit Southwest Southwest Company ID: 99696096

Visit United United Z Code and Agreement Code: ZGJP 503832

DELTA: Delta Air Lines is pleased to offer special discounts for the National Speech & Debate Association. Please click here to book your flights! You may also call Delta Meeting Network® at (800) 328-1111* Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. CT and refer to Meeting Event Code NY2PQ. *Please note there is not a service fee for reservations booked and ticketed via our reservation 800 number.

UNITED: U.S. 50 States and Canada Customers: call your professional travel agency, book online via www.United.com, or call United Reservations Meetings Desk at (800) 426-1122 and provide the Z Code ZGJP and Agreement Code 503832.

 

DART and SuperShuttle

All competition will be held at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel and Crowne Plaza Hotel. The Sheraton and Crowne can be accessed by DART rail from all recommended hotel properties as well as Dallas Love Field (DAL) airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW) airport. SuperShuttle is also available for a reasonable fee, making transportation from DAL and DFW airports easy and affordable.

DART Weekend Travel Advisory
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system is currently undergoing weekend construction. If you are navigating from the Dallas Fort Worth or Lovefield airports to the Sheraton Dallas Hotel over the weekend, you’ll take the Orange line to West End Station and then hop a DART bus to Pearl station. Weekday travel will not be impacted. Learn more about weekend routes here or access DART maps online. For additional DART pass information, click here.

Super Shuttle
If you don’t want to take the DART, you can save on a SuperShuttle to and from Dallas Fort Worth or Lovefield airports with our code PTK72. To get started, click here.