Sports already play a huge role in the Phoenix-area economy and culture, but some believe there is room to grow the Valley's reputation so the world will see Phoenix as a hub for sports and sports business.
Phoenix is home to NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and WNBA franchises, along with a PGA Tour tournament, two NASCAR races each year, a New Year’s Six college football bowl game, a slew of college sports and Cactus League spring training. Plus, the occasional mega event like the NCAA Final Four or the Super Bowl — which generated an estimated $1.3 billion in economic impact for Phoenix in February.
Beyond that, there is the Arizona Rattlers arena football team and Phoenix Rising FC, which just won a championship in the USL, a secondary pro soccer league.
Xavier Gutierrez, the president and CEO of the Coyotes, recently called for Valley business leaders not to take the region's place in the sports world for granted.
