Phoenix named as host site for 2017 Final Four tournament
Nov 14, 2014, 4:07 PM | Updated: 7:33 pm
PHOENIX — The metro Phoenix area will be flooded with college basketball fans come 2017 after the NCAA named the city as one of the host sites for its annual Final Four tournament on Friday.
It will be held at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. It’s the first time in 20 years the games will be held west of Texas.
Arizona State University will be the host institution and involved in the planning.
“Its an exciting time and a lot of work for especially, the Arizona State staff,” said Mark Hollis, athletic director of Michigan State and member of NCAA Division I Basketball Committee when he visited the Valley in September.
“It’s a lot of work to host an event and to collaborate with the NCAA staff and the basketball committee. But at the end of the day it’s a rewarding level of work. You know you’ve done something substantial and means a lot to a lot of people.”
According to statistics provided by the group behind Phoenix’s bid, the event brings in significant money. In 2012, the tournament brought in $135 million to New Orleans. Atlanta, which hosted the 2013 Final Four, brought in $70 million. And although the numbers are not final, the 2014 north Texas tournament projections are at $276 million.
“There’s all different economic opportunities here and we really expect to see somewhere between $150 to $200 million (in revenue),” said Debbie Johnson, president and CEO of the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association.
“It brings a new component that we’ve not seen and that’s really the student athletes, the NCAA fans and really having that opportunity to have four teams come to the Valley.”
NCAA committee members toured the Valley in late September while considering the city’s bid.
“When we travel around the country and talk with cities that are interested in hosting the Final Four it really is just those two other events (Super Bowl and College Football National Championship) and possibly the NBA All-Star Game that are mentioned in the same breath with the same kind of interest level,” said Dan Gavitt, vice president of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee.
Phoenix has hosted all of those events, including the BCS National Championship game in 2007 and 2011.
Phoenix competed against Atlanta, Dallas, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, New Orleans, San Antonio and St. Louis. Phoenix was the only city in the running that has not hosted a Final Four. However, committee members do not see Phoenix’s lack of Final Four hosting experience as an obstacle.
“The excitement and enthusiasm of a community that hasn’t hosted before can be a very powerful part of this process. But it’s a national championship and part of what makes it a national championship is that it moves around and its in different areas of the country,” Gavitt said.
Cronkite News’ Arianna Grainey contributed to this report.
