Contact Us
Get Listed
Home

 

Sports In Phoenix

You can’t be named the No. 2 sports city in America by Men’s Journal without a serious sports calendar. Where else do 500.000 fans flock to a wintertime PGA Tour event to celebrate golf and good company? And where else can you find more than 1.25 million fans enjoying Spring Training baseball each March? Only in Greater Phoenix can you find more than 300 days of blue skies and a wide array of major sports events each year.

 

Phoenix is one of only 13 cities that fields teams in all four pro sports leagues, so whether your day planner reads January or December—or anywhere in between—you can almost always catch a game somewhere.

 

From most popular tournament on the PGA tour to the fastest cars in NASCAR, Phoenix is sure to deliver what you're wanting from the sports scene. The annual FBR Open is the friendliest and loudest stop on the PGA Tour, thanks to huge galleries that have redefined the term “golf clap.” In addition to the Phoenix Coyotes (NHL), Arizona Cardinals (NFL), Phoenix Suns (NBA) and Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB), Greater Phoenix also provides two NASCAR Nextel Cup races (every April and November). Thoroughbred racing, arena football and the WNBA are also big draws in the desert, and Arizona State University provides its own share of exciting sports action with competitive Pac-10 teams in numerous sports.

 

Annual Sporting Event Chart from the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau: www.visitphoenix.com/sportschart

 

 

 

 

Teams & Sporting Events

 

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals, founded in 1898 and a charter member of the National Football League, hold the distinction of being the oldest continuously run professional football franchise in the nation.

 

Phoenix Suns

The NBA's Phoenix Suns draw a loyal legion of fans to the renovated and expanded US Airways Center (UAC), in Downtown Phoenix. Stars like Steve Nash and Shawn Marion lead the Suns, who have reached the postseason for 16 out of the last 18 years. The Suns possess a young, athletic, run-and-gun team, and they are among one of the best teams in the NBA’s Western Conference.

 

Arizona Diamondbacks Baseball

The Arizona Diamondbacks entered Major League Baseball on March 31, 1998 and quickly secured their place in baseball history, winning the 2001 World Series against the NY Yankees in a thrilling come-from-behind victory. Since the team's inaugural season, over 25 million fans have enjoyed watching the D-backs at Chase Field.

 

Phoenix Coyotes

The Phoenix Coyotes have played hockey in the desert since moving from Winnipeg before the 1996 season. After the team registered a few postseason appearances, hockey great Wayne Gretzky joined the team as Managing Partner in 2000. Now, with a new hockey arena that debuted in nearby Glendale in 2003, the Coyotes have Gretzky’s expertise behind the bench.

 

Nascar Racing

In 1964, when Phoenix International Raceway was carved out of the foothills of the Estrella Mountains, it was intended to be a new jewel in the crown of American open wheel racing. Drivers like Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones and the Unsers soon came to love the one mile paved oval with the unique bend in the backstretch.

 

Arizona Rattlers

The Arizona Rattlers is one of 19 Arena Football teams in the Arena Football League. The Rattlers played their first regular game in the Spring of 1992. Danny White, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, and a favorite of Arizona fans since the years he played football for Arizona State University, has been the Head Coach since the team's inception. The Rattlers were ArenaBowl champions in 1994 and 1997.

 

Phoenix Mercury

The Women's National Basketball Association ("WNBA") has been operating since 1997, and Phoenix was there right at the beginning with our team, the Phoenix Mercury, as one of the original 8 teams.

 

Arizona State Sun Devils

Arizona State University has nine men's and eleven women's varsity teams competing in the NCAA Pacific Ten Conference. The men compete in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, swimming/diving, tennis, track, and wrestling. Women compete in basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming/diving, tennis, track, volleyball, and water polo.

 

Cactus League Spring Training

The Cactus League has been an Arizona tradition for over a half-century. What began as a two-team league in 1947 has grown to twelve teams playing in seven cities throughout the state. The league's popularity is at an all-time high, setting an attendance record with over 1.25 million fans attending in 2005. With games scheduled every day in March, the Cactus League offers baseball enthusiasts an excellent opportunity to enjoy their favorite teams in fan-friendly, state-of-the-art ballparks.

 

FBR Open

The FBR Open is one of the first PGA golf events of the calendar year. Formerly known as The Phoenix Open, it is also the best attended golf tournament of every calendar year. Annually sporting the largest crowds on the PGA TOUR, the FBR Open has gained legendary status on TOUR for being unlike any other golf tournament. Yes, the Phoenix TOUR stop is different from all the rest, but what makes it so? It starts with the unbelievable golf played by the likes of Aaron Baddeley, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh on the beautiful TPC Scottsdale and ends with the biggest galleries on TOUR.

 

Insight Bowl

This New Year’s Eve bowl game is an electrifying experience in college football that you won’t want to miss! The Big Ten and Big 12 conferences face-off with hard-hitting on-field action and rambunctious fans in attendance to support their teams. Annually held at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, the Insight Bowl is just steps away from the excitement of Mill Avenue and the Insight Fiesta Bowl Block Party – Arizona’s largest New Year’s Eve celebration.

 

Fiesta Bowl

The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Tostitos tortilla chips, is a United States college football bowl game played annually since 1971. Originally, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil Stadium where it remained until 2006. University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona is the current venue.

 

Ironman Arizona

Ford Ironman Arizona has quickly become a top-rated event as some of the world's best Ironman triathletes converge on Tempe. The transition area, swim course and expo are all very close together, and thanks to the three-loop bike and run courses, race day viewing is nothing short of spectacular.

 

Thoroughbred Racing

Arizona is home to Turf Paradise and the Turf Paradise Derby, a $1 million preparatory race for 3-year-olds vying a place at the prestigious Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs and all the way to the Triple Crown.

 

 

Sports Facilities

The Greater Phoenix area provides incredible, state-of-the-art facilities in which to enjoy professional sports and other major events, including:

 

Chase Field

The state of the art home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

 

US Airways Center

Home to the NBA's Phoenix Suns, AFL's Arizona Rattlers, WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, concerts and a variety of family entertainment.

 

University of Phoenix Stadium

The 63,000-seat stadium is home to the Arizona Cardinals.

 

Jobing.com Arena

Since opening, it has established itself as one of the premiere sports and entertainment venues. Home to the National Hockey League Phoenix Coyotes and the National Lacrosse League Arizona Sting, Jobing.com Arena has also hosted such A-list acts as The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, U2, Elton John, Madonna, and Bruce Springsteen.

 

Sun Devil Stadium

Located on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, it has been home to the Arizona State Sun Devils of the Pacific-10 Conference since 1958 and was the home of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals from 1988 to 2005. It seat over 71,000 people.

 

Wells Fargo Arena

Home for Sun Devil men’s and women’s basketball as well as volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling, is one of the nation’s finest collegiate arenas. Constructed in the spring of 1974, the 14,000+ seat facility also plays host to graduation ceremonies and a variety of concerts and shows.

 

Hohokam Stadium

Located in the city of Mesa, Hohokam Stadium is the Spring training home of the Chicago Cubs.

 

Peoria Sports Complex

Built in 1994, the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners, through 20 year leases, utilize the Peoria Sports Complex all year round for Spring training and player development.

 

Scottsdale Stadium

Home to the San Francisco Giants Spring training camp.

 

Veterans Memorial Coliseum

This is a 14,870-seat multi-purpose indoor arena in Phoenix, located on the grounds of the Arizona State Fair. It is commonly referred to as simply the Coliseum.