![USAirwaysCenter-2008NCAAWestRegional](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/USAirwaysCenter-2008NCAAWestRegional.jpg)
Footprint Center (formerly known as America West Arena, US Airways Center, Talking Stick Resort Arena and Phoenix Suns Arena) is a multi-purpose
arena
An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...
in
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...
.
Built in the regional population center of the
southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that generally includes Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado, Ne ...
, the arena opened on June 6, 1992, at a construction cost of
$89 million.
It is currently the home arena for the
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
of the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
(NBA), the
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference (WNBA), Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded before the league ...
of the
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is an American professional basketball league. It is composed of twelve teams, all based in the United States. The league was founded on April 22, 1996, as the women's counterpart to the Natio ...
(WNBA) and the
Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League (IFL) is a professional indoor American football league created in 2008 out of the merger between the Intense Football League and United Indoor Football. It has one of the largest number of currently active teams amon ...
's
Arizona Rattlers. The
ECHL
The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL).
The E ...
's
Phoenix RoadRunners also played there from 2005 until they ceased operations at the conclusion of the 2008–2009 season. Additionally, the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL)'s Phoenix Coyotes (now the
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...
) played their first 7-plus seasons at the arena following their arrival in Phoenix on July 1, 1996.
Located one block away from
Chase Field
Chase Field, formerly Bank One Ballpark, is a retractable roof stadium in Downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It is the home of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks. It opened in 1998 Arizona Diamondbacks season, 1998, the year the Diamondbacks ...
, home of the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
, the arena is in size on an site. These two major league sports venues are half of those used by Phoenix area professional teams, the other two being
State Farm Stadium
State Farm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Glendale, Arizona, United States, west of Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix. It is the home of the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) and the annual Fiesta Bowl. State Farm Stadium re ...
and
Mullett Arena
Mullett Arena (originally ASU Multi-Purpose Arena) is an indoor multipurpose arena at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.
The 5,000-seat arena is the home of the men's ice hockey, women's ice hockey, women's gymnastics and men's wres ...
in the neighboring Phoenix suburbs of
Glendale Glendale is the anglicised version of the Gaelic Gleann Dail, which means ''valley of fertile, low-lying arable land''.
It may refer to:
Places Australia
* Glendale, New South Wales
** Stockland Glendale, a shopping centre
*Glendale, Queensland, ...
and
Tempe.
Footprint Center underwent its second significant renovation in its history. The Phoenix City Council approved the plan on January 23, 2019, involving the arena, with the Phoenix Suns paying up to $80 million alongside any overrun costs. The first renovation, completed in March 2003, had a air-conditioned glass-enclosed atrium built on the northwest side of the arena. That $67 million project was constructed to keep patrons cool while waiting in line for tickets or spending time inside the building before events. The arena upgrades have been done as part of the Suns' plan to keep it economically competitive after
Gila River Arena
Desert Diamond Arena (originally Glendale Arena and formerly Jobing.com Arena and Gila River Arena) is an indoor multi-purpose entertainment arena located in Glendale, Arizona. The venue anchors the 223-acre, $1 billion Westgate Entertainment D ...
opened. Former Suns owner
Jerry Colangelo
Jerry Colangelo (born November 20, 1939) is an American businessman and sports executive. He formerly owned the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, the Arizona ...
originally thought of the renovations after visiting
Staples Center
Crypto.com Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. The arena opened on October 17, 1999; it was ...
in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
and envisioned a similar entertainment district in Phoenix.
The
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
forced a pause to the Suns'
2019–20 season and allowed for an early start to the most recent renovations. Up to 80% of all planned work was completed in time for the 2020 preseason home opener, a 112–107 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on December 16, 2020. The Mercury originally planned to play their
2020 WNBA season
The 2020 WNBA season was the 24th season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Washington Mystics were the defending champions. Planned changes to the league's schedule included an increase from 34 to 36 regular season games f ...
home games at
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a 14,870-seat multi-purpose indoor arena in Phoenix, Arizona, located at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. It hosted the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association from 1968 to 1992, as well as indoor ...
, but relocated all of the season's games to the
IMG Academy
IMG Academy is a preparatory boarding school and sports training destination in Bradenton, Florida, United States. IMG Academy is set across over 600 acres and features programs consisting of sport camps for youth athletes, adult camps, a board ...
in
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698.
History
Late 18th and early 19th centuries ...
. The Rattlers had their 2020 IFL season cancelled, but played their first home game of the
2021 season on June 12, 2021, against the Tucson Sugar Skulls.
Sports teams and events
Basketball, arena football, concerts, ice shows and other events such as wrestling are held in the arena.
Capacity
The capacities are 17,071 for basketball, 16,210 for ice hockey and indoor football, 17,716 for in-the-round concerts, 12,565 for end stage concerts, and 4,379 for theater events.
Early years
The Coyotes hosted their first regular season home game in Arizona at the arena on October 10, 1996, with a 4–1 win over the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
. They finished the
1996–97 season with a 38–37–7 record to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. That playoff appearance was short-lived, with a Game 7 loss to the
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division, and play their home games at Honda Center.
...
in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Just over 7 years later, the team played their last home game within Phoenix city limits with a 5–2 loss to the
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...
on December 15, 2003.
The arena also hosted the
Arizona Sandsharks
Arizona Sandsharks was a U.S. indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL). It was founded in 1992 and folded in 1997, along with the CISL.
Club history
The Sandsharks were founded on August 3, 1992, under the o ...
of the defunct
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) was a professional indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.
History
In the summer of 1989 Dr Jerry Buss, the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and California Sports, told his executive Vice Pre ...
(CISL).
Nickname
Its most common nickname is "The Purple Palace", though during the Rattlers' season it is known as "The Snake Pit".
NBA
Capacity for basketball games was originally 19,023, but was downsized after the
2002–03 season to 18,422 and further downsized to 18,055 before the
2014–15 season.
The arena has seen its share of basketball moments. Less than a year after its opening, it hosted 3 championship games of the
1993 NBA Finals between the Suns and the
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January 1 ...
. The Mercury hosted WNBA Finals games in 1998, 2007, 2009, 2014 and 2021. The
1995 NBA All-Star Game,
2000 WNBA All-Star Game
The 2000 WNBA All-Star Game was played on July 17, 2000 at America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. This was the 2nd annual WNBA All-Star Game.
The All-Star Game
Rosters
*1 Injured
*2 Starting in place of injured player
Coaches
The c ...
and
2009 NBA All-Star Game. were played at the arena.
AFL
The
Arizona Rattlers have hosted four
ArenaBowl games, with three played at Footprint Center. They won
ArenaBowl XI
ArenaBowl XI was the Arena Football League's eleventh ArenaBowl. The game featured two American Conference teams, the #2 Iowa Barnstormers (11–3) against the #1 Arizona Rattlers (12–2). Iowa was coming from losing ArenaBowl X to the Tampa Bay ...
with a 55–33 win over the
Iowa Barnstormers
The Iowa Barnstormers are a professional indoor American football, indoor football team based in Des Moines, Iowa. They are currently members of the Indoor Football League (IFL). They play their home games at Wells Fargo Arena (Des Moines, Iowa) ...
on August 25, 1997. They lost in their only championship game appearance at Gila River Arena, a 56–42
ArenaBowl XXIX
ArenaBowl XXIX was the championship game of the 2016 Arena Football League season. It was played between the American Conference Champion Philadelphia Soul and the National Conference Champion Arizona Rattlers. The game was played at Gila River A ...
loss to the
Philadelphia Soul
Philadelphia soul, sometimes called Philly soul, the Philadelphia sound, Phillysound, or The Sound of Philadelphia TSOP, is a genre of late 1960s–1970s soul music characterized by funk influences and lush instrumental arrangements, often feat ...
on August 26, 2016.
Boxing
Among the notable
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
events held in Phoenix, they include
Oscar De La Hoya
Oscar De La Hoya ( , ; born on February 4, 1973) is an American boxing promoter and former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2008. His accolades include winning 11 world titles in six weight classes, including the lineal championshi ...
's early bouts,
Michael Carbajal
Michael Carbajal (born September 17, 1967) is an American five-time world boxing champion of Mexican descent. His nickname was "Little Hands Of Stone," after his favorite boxer,"Hands Of Stone" Roberto Durán.
Amateur career
Carbajal had an amat ...
's
WBO world Junior Flyweight title against
Josue Camacho Josue is a name, a variant of the name Joshua (name), Joshua. It may refer to:
Given name
* Josué Dubois Berthelot de Beaucours (1662-1750), French military officer
* Athanase Josué Coquerel (1820-1875), French Protestant theologian
* Josue Dupon ...
in 1994 and
Julio César Chávez
Julio César Chávez González (; born July 12, 1962), also known as Julio César Chávez Sr., is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 2005. A multiple-time world champion in three weight divisions, Chávez was liste ...
ended his career with a fight at the arena.
Bull riding
In
bull riding
Bull riding is a rodeo sport that involves a rider getting on a bucking bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal tries to buck off the rider.
American bull riding has been called "the most dangerous eight seconds in sports." To recei ...
, the
Professional Bull Riders
The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) is an international professional bull riding organization based in Pueblo, Colorado, United States. In the U.S., PBR events have been televised on CBS and CBS Sports Network since 2012. In 2013, the ...
hosted a
Built Ford Tough Series
The Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) was the elite series tour name of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) competitions from 2003 to 2017.
The BFTS kicked off its tour on November 16, 2002 with the Mohegan Sun Invitational in Uncasville, Connecticut ...
(formerly the Bud Light Cup) at the arena between 1999 and 2002. The annual event moved to Giendale in 2004 before it returned to downtown Phoenix in March 2014.
MMA/UFC
In
MMA
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on strike (attack), striking, grappling and ground f ...
, the arena has hosted several noteworthy
UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
events including
UFC on Fox: dos Santos vs. Miocic,
UFC Fight Night: Rodríguez vs. Penn,
UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. Velasquez and
UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje.
Professional wrestling
The arena has also hosted various
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
events, including:
*
SummerSlam (2003)
The 2003 SummerSlam was the 16th annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) List of WWE pay-per-view events, event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw (WWE brand), R ...
*
Judgment Day (2006)
The 2006 Judgment Day was the eighth Judgment Day professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It was held exclusively for wrestlers from the promotion's SmackDown! brand division. The event ...
*
Cyber Sunday (2008)
Cyber Sunday was the fifth annual and final Taboo Tuesday/Cyber Sunday professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw, SmackDown, and ECW brand ...
*
WWE SmackDown
''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes simulc ...
, August 28, 2009
*
WWE Raw
''WWE Raw'', also known as ''Monday Night Raw'' or simply ''Raw'', is an American professional wrestling television show, television program produced by WWE that currently airs live every Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time Zone, ET on the USA Networ ...
, March 29, 2010 (the first Raw since
WrestleMania XXVI
WrestleMania XXVI (also written as WrestleMania 26) was the 26th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw and SmackDown ...
)
*
Money in the Bank (2012)
* WWE Raw, June 20, 2016
*
Elimination Chamber (2017)
The 2017 Elimination Chamber (known as No Escape in Germany) was the seventh Elimination Chamber professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held exclusively for wrestlers from the promotion's SmackDown bra ...
* WWE Raw, February 19, 2018
* WWE Smackdown, February 20, 2018
*
NXT TakeOver: Phoenix and the following Raw and SmackDown events as part of that year's
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after the Royal Rumble match, a modified battle roya ...
weekend
* WWE Raw, September 30, 2019 (served as the season premiere of Raw, with a new logo, new commentary team (
Vic Joseph
Victor Joseph Travagliante (born July 8, 1985) is an American professional wrestling commentator currently signed to WWE, where he works under the stage name Vic Joseph and serves as the play-by-play commentator on ''WWE NXT''.
Biography E ...
,
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler (born November 29, 1949), better known as Jerry "The King" Lawler, is an American color commentator and professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, although he has not performed as a full-time commentator since Apr ...
,
Dio Maddin
Brennan Marcel Williams (born February 5, 1991) is an American professional wrestler and former American football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown WWE brand extension, brand under t ...
), new theme song (''Legendary'' by
Skillet), and a new stage design)
* WWE SmackDown, August 20, 2021 (first WWE event the arena hosted since the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, and final ''SmackDown'' before that year's
SummerSlam
SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's secon ...
event took place the next day)
* WWE SmackDown, July 1, 2022 (final ''SmackDown'' before that year's
Money in the Bank event took place the next day)
* WWE Live, October 15, 2022
*
All Elite Wrestling
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is considered the second largest wrestling promotion in the United States behind WWE.
AEW is owned by Shahid Khan and his son Tony, w ...
: Live ''
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive made of nitroglycerin, sorbents (such as powdered shells or clay), and Stabilizer (chemistry), stabilizers. It was invented by the Swedish people, Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel in Geesthacht, Northern Germa ...
'' broadcast and ''
Rampage'' taping, February 22, 2023
Concerts
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
gave one of his last concerts on December 10, 1993, in the arena.
As part of their
Keep the Faith Tour
A keep (from the Middle English ''kype'') is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in c ...
,
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. It consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald (American musician), Hugh McD ...
performed in the arena on March 11, 1993.
Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan (; born Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García; born 1 September 1957) is a Cuban-American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is a seven-time Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has been ...
played here on July 30, 1996, during her “Evolution” World Tour.
Van Halen
Van Halen ( ) was an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. Credited with "restoring hard rock to the forefront of the music scene", Van Halen was known for its energetic live shows and for the virtuosity of its lead gu ...
made a stop in Phoenix on April 1, 1995, as part of their The Balance "Ambulance" Tour.
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is ...
performed at the arena on January 31, 2003 during the
Tour of the Mongoose
Tour of the Mongoose (also known as El Tour de la Mangosta in hispanophone countries) is the third concert tour by Colombian singer and songwriter, Shakira, in support of her fifth studio album and first English album, ''Laundry Service'' (2001) ...
. She later brought her
Oral Fixation Tour
Oral Fixation Tour (known as Tour Fijación Oral in hispanophone countries) was the fourth concert tour by Colombian singer and songwriter, Shakira. It was launched in support of her sixth and seventh studio albums ''Fijación Oral, Vol. 1'' (200 ...
to the arena on August 11, 2006. She returned to the arena on August 26, 2018 for her
El Dorado World Tour
The El Dorado World Tour was the sixth world tour by Colombian singer and songwriter Shakira, in support of her diamond certified eleventh studio album, '' El Dorado''. Comprising a total of 54 shows, the tour visited Europe, Asia, North America ...
.
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in Basildon, Essex, in 1980. The band currently consists of Dave Gahan (lead vocals and co-songwriting) and Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, co-lead vocals and main songwriting).
Depeche ...
performed during 3 separate tours at the arena. They were on December 14, 1998 (
Singles Tour), August 10, 2001 (
Exciter Tour
Exciter may refer to:
Music
* Exciter (band), a Canadian speed metal band
** ''Exciter'' (Exciter album), also known as ''O.T.T.'', a 1988 album by Exciter
* ''Exciter'' (Depeche Mode album), a 2001 album by Depeche Mode
* "Exciter" (song) a 19 ...
) and August 23, 2009 (
Tour of the Universe
Tour of the Universe was a Space Shuttle simulation ride located in the basement level of the CN Tower. Operating between 1985 and 1992, it was the world's first flight simulator ride.
The ride was the idea of Moses Znaimer and designed by SimEx. ...
). Their 2009 show had 7,635 people in attendance and was recorded for the band's live albums project ''
Recording the Universe
''Recording the Universe'' is the name of a project by the band Depeche Mode to record some of the concerts on their 2009-10 concert tour, Tour of the Universe. The recordings were made by London-based company Live Here Now and are available v ...
''.
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...
performed at the arena for her
Bangerz Tour
The Bangerz Tour was the fourth concert tour by American singer Miley Cyrus. It was held in support of her fourth studio album, ''Bangerz'' (2013). The tour visited the Americas, Europe, and Oceania through five legs. It spanned from February 14 ...
on February 27, 2014.
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
performed at the arena on April 6, 2015 as part of
The Honeymoon Tour
The Honeymoon Tour was the second concert tour and the first arena tour by American singer Ariana Grande in support and to further promote her second studio album, '' My Everything'' (2014). It was officially announced on September 10, 2014. It t ...
. She kicked off her
Dangerous Woman Tour
The Dangerous Woman Tour was the third concert tour and the second arena tour by American singer Ariana Grande in support of her third studio album, ''Dangerous Woman'' (2016). It traveled across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Oc ...
at the arena on February 3, 2017. She later brought her
Sweetener World Tour
The Sweetener World Tour was the fourth concert tour and third arena tour by American singer, songwriter and actress Ariana Grande in support of her fourth and fifth studio albums, ''Sweetener'' (2018) and '' Thank U, Next'' (2019). Led by Live N ...
to the arena on May 14, 2019.
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. Fleetwood Mac were founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, before bassist John McVie joined the line-up for their epony ...
performed at the arena on November 28, 2018, during their
An Evening with Fleetwood Mac tour. It took place in the hometown of their lead singer
Stevie Nicks
Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter, and producer known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist.
After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasi ...
.
Earlier that month,
Twenty One Pilots
Twenty One Pilots (stylized in Letter case, all lowercase or as twenty øne piløts) are an American musical duo from Columbus, Ohio. Initially a band, the group was formed in 2009 by lead vocalist Tyler Joseph along with Nick Thomas and Chris ...
held a second show there as part of their
The Bandito Tour
The Bandito Tour (stylized as THE BANDITØ TØUR) is the sixth concert tour by the American musical duo Twenty One Pilots, in support of their fifth studio album ''Trench'' (2018). The tour began at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee o ...
.
They returned to the arena for their The Icy Tour on September 16, 2022.
On August 30, 2021,
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKa ...
held a show as a part of their
2020 Tour.
On October 17, 2021,
J.Cole
Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his ...
performed at the arena for his
The Off-Season Tour
The Off-Season Tour was a co-headlining concert tour by American recording artist J. Cole, and rapper 21 Savage, in support of Cole's sixth studio album ''The Off-Season'' (2021). The tour began on September 24, 2021 in Miami at the FTX Arena, ...
.
On February 8, 2022,
Tyler, the Creator
Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper and record producer. He is one of the founding members of the music collective Odd Future.
Okonma self-released his debut mixtape Bast ...
performed at the Footprint Center for his first show on the Call Me If You Get Lost Tour.
On February 19, 2022,
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli (; born 22 September 1958) is an Italian tenor and multi-instrumentalist. He was born visually impaired, with congenital glaucoma, and at the age of 12, Bocelli became completely blind, following a brain hemorrhage resulting fro ...
performed at the Footprint Center for his United States Tour.
On March 1, 2022, Satanic Doo-Wop Band Twin Temple, Danish metal band Volbeat, and Swedish metal band Ghost Performed at the Footprint Center on the final leg of their US Tour.
On March 20, 2022,
Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa ( , ; born ) is an English and Albanian singer and songwriter. Possessing a mezzo-soprano vocal range, she is known for her signature disco- pop sound. Lipa has received numerous accolades, including six Brit Awards, three Gramm ...
performed a sold out show as part of her
Future Nostalgia Tour
The Future Nostalgia Tour was the second concert tour and first arena tour by English singer Dua Lipa, in support of her second studio album, ''Future Nostalgia'' (2020). Originally announced in December 2019 and scheduled to take place from Ap ...
, with
Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Jovon Ruth Pete (born February 15, 1995), known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion (pronounced "Megan the Stallion"), is an American rapper and songwriter. Originally from Houston, Texas, she first garnered attention when videos of her ...
and
Caroline Polachek
Caroline Elizabeth Polachek (born June 20, 1985) is an American singer, producer and songwriter. Raised in Connecticut, Polachek co-founded the indie pop band Chairlift while studying at the University of Colorado. The duo emerged from the late- ...
as her opening acts.
On September 10, 2022,
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his Progressive rap, progressive musical styles and Social consciousness, socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most infl ...
performed at the Footprint Center for
The Big Steppers Tour With
Baby Keem
Hykeem Jamaal Carter Jr. (born October 22, 2000), known professionally as Baby Keem, is an American rapper and record producer. He initially gained major recognition following the release of his single "Orange Soda", from his second mixtape ''Di ...
and
Tanna Leone
Avante Ramone Santana ( né Brown; born March 24, 1998), known professionally as Tanna Leone, is an American rapper. In March 2022, he became the third artist signed to PGLang, the multidisciplinary creative collective founded by rapper Kendri ...
as opening acts on the show.
On September 21, 2022,
Michael Bublé
Michael Steven Bublé ( ; born September 9, 1975) is a Canadian singer. A four-time Grammy Award winner, he is often credited for helping to renew public interest and appreciation for traditional pop standards and the Great American Songboo ...
performed at the Footprint Center for his
Higher Tour.
On December 4, 2022,
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) is an American rock band founded in 1996 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli (both members of Savatage) and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel to ...
performed 2 shows at the Footprint Center for their 2022 Winter Tour.
History
Construction began on August 1, 1990, as former Suns owner
Jerry Colangelo
Jerry Colangelo (born November 20, 1939) is an American businessman and sports executive. He formerly owned the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, the Arizona ...
envisioned a need for a new arena to be built in Phoenix to replace
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a 14,870-seat multi-purpose indoor arena in Phoenix, Arizona, located at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. It hosted the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association from 1968 to 1992, as well as indoor ...
. About 27 months later, Footprint Center was officially inaugurated with the Suns'
1992–1993 season opening 111–105 victory over the
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference. The Clipper ...
on November 7, 1992. Simultaneously, it also was
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player who is a television analyst on TNT. Nicknamed "Sir Charles", "Chuck", and "the Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley played 16 seasons in the Natio ...
's first regular season game as a Sun.
Despite the fact that the Suns had lost the
1993 NBA Finals to the Chicago Bulls, a parade was still held and attracted more than 300,000 Suns fans. It made its way through downtown Phoenix and finished at the new arena.
NHL years
When the original
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, pl ...
publicly announced their intention to relocate to
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
for the
1996–97 NHL season
The 1996–97 NHL season was the 80th regular season of the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup winners were the Detroit Red Wings, who swept the Philadelphia Flyers in four games and won the Stanley Cup for the first time in 42 years.
T ...
, the arena was quickly reconfigured to accommodate ice hockey. Unlike most multipurpose arenas, it was not designed with an ice hockey rink in mind. Its tight seating configuration suits basketball very well, but made it logistically difficult to fit a standard NHL rink onto the floor. The lower level had to be sheared in half to fit the rink and create retractable seating.
As it turned out, the result was completely inadequate for the Coyotes. Three entire sections at one end of the ice hung over the boards. Fans sitting in those sections could not see of the ice (including one of the nets) except on the video boards. The problem was so serious that after the team's first season in Phoenix, the team had to curtain off some seats in the areas where the view was particularly obstructed, cutting listed capacity from around 18,000 seats to 16,210.
The Coyotes added a second video board for an area where the view was particularly obstructed. They also put up numerous proposals to improve sight lines and boost the
seating capacity
Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available, and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...
back over the 17,000 mark. They also had to sell many obstructed-view tickets at a reduced price. Additionally, an unfavorable lease caused further financial troubles that impacted the team for much of the time they played at the arena. These were factors in driving them into bankruptcy in 2009. The Coyotes moved into Gila River Arena nearly midway through the
2003–04 NHL season
The 2003–04 NHL season was the 87th regular season of the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup champions were the Tampa Bay Lightning, who won the best of seven series four games to three against the Calgary Flames.
For the fourth time in ...
.
Naming rights
The original arena
naming rights
Naming rights are a financial transaction and form of advertising or memorialization whereby a corporation, person, or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, object, location, program, or event, typically for a defined period of t ...
contract was sold in January 1990 to
Tempe-based
America West Airlines
America West Airlines was a major American airline, founded in 1981, with service commencing in 1983, and having reached US$1 billion in annual revenue in 1989, headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. At the time of its acquisition of US Airways, Americ ...
. The venue was known as America West Arena from its opening until 2006.
The previous year, America West purchased rival carrier
US Airways
US Airways (formerly USAir) was a major United States airline that operated from 1937 until its merger with American Airlines in 2015. It was originally founded in History of aviation in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh as a mail delivery airline called ...
. Although America West was the surviving airline, it took the US Airways name as did the venue. This was the second arena that the company owned the naming rights after the now-demolished US Airways Arena (formerly
Capital Centre) in
Landover, Maryland
Landover is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 25,998.
Landover is contained between Sheriff Road and Central Avenue to the so ...
.
Talking Stick Resort
Talking Stick Resort is a luxury hotel and casino resort located on the Salt-River Pima Maricopa Indian Reservation near Scottsdale, Arizona. The hotel tower, which was designed by FFKR Architects, has 15 stories and stands at 200 feet and six inc ...
in nearby
Scottsdale secured the new naming rights with an official announcement outside the Casino Arizona Pavilion on December 2, 2014.
The name change to Talking Stick Resort Arena was completed in September 2015, in time for the start of the
2015–16 Phoenix Suns season
The 2015–16 NBA season was the Phoenix Suns' 48th season in the NBA. It was their first season where the Suns played in the Talking Stick Resort Arena with its new name, having played there since the 1992–93 season, when it used to be call ...
.
After negotiations on a contract extension stalled earlier on in the year due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in Arizona
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the U.S. state of Arizona in January 2020. As of June 3, 2021 Arizona public health authorities reported 322 new cases of COVID-19 and five deaths, bringing the cumulative totals since the st ...
, Talking Stick Resort officially announced the naming rights deal expired on November 6, 2020. Until a new agreement was reached, the venue was known as Phoenix Suns Arena; prior to this, it was briefly known as PHX Arena.
Phoenix Arena
/ref>
On July 16, 2021, it was announced that Gilbert Gilbert may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
*Gilbert (surname), including a list of people
Places Australia
* Gilbert River (Queensland)
* Gilbert River (South ...
-based materials science company Footprint
Footprints are the impressions or images left behind by a person walking or running. Hoofprints and pawprints are those left by animals with hooves or paws rather than feet, while "shoeprints" is the specific term for prints made by shoes. The ...
had secured the arena naming rights, naming it the Footprint Center as part of a long-term partnership with the Suns ownership and the company.
See also
* List of historic properties in Phoenix, Arizona
This is a list, which includes photographic galleries, of some of the remaining historic structures and monuments, of historic significance, in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. Included are photographs of properties identified by the African, Asia ...
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
1992 establishments in Arizona
Arena football venues
Arizona Coyotes arenas
Basketball venues in Arizona
Defunct indoor ice hockey venues in the United States
Defunct National Hockey League venues
Indoor soccer venues in the United States
Music venues in Arizona
National Basketball Association venues
Phoenix Mercury venues
Phoenix Points of Pride
Phoenix Suns venues
Sports venues completed in 1992
Sports venues in Phoenix, Arizona
Indoor arenas in Arizona