Phoenix City Council preparing bid for NCAA Women’s Final Four
Jan 6, 2020, 12:15 PM | Updated: Jan 7, 2020, 9:49 am
(Instagram Photo)
PHOENIX – The Phoenix City Council has set its sights on hosting the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four in the next few years.
Council members will vote on a resolution to support a bid for the event at Wednesday’s meeting, the first formal session of the year.
The council report on agenda item 71 said the games would “require use of … Talking Stick Resort Arena in downtown Phoenix as the competition venue.”
The tournament dates for 2025 or 2026 would butt heads with the Phoenix Suns’ regular-season NBA home games at the arena. For instance, this year’s Women’s Final Four in New Orleans has been scheduled for April 3-5.
“City staff and the Phoenix Bid Committee are currently working with the Phoenix Suns to reserve the Arena for the requested dates,” the council report said.
The Valley has become an old pro at hosting big college events.
The men’s 2017 Final Four was held at what is now State Farm Stadium in Glendale. The site will host the Final Four again in 2024.
College Football Playoffs has been hosted by the Valley twice, most recently the Dec. 28 Fiesta Bowl.
The title game was played here in 2016.
Before that, under the Bowl Championship Series, title games were played in metro Phoenix in 2007 and 2011.
And starting this year, Arizona State University will host three consecutive men’s and women’s golf championships at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale.