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Footprint Center

This page contains information about the Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ, with a focus on sports betting and a history of the arena.

Dan Bradley By: Dan Bradley
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The Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ, is a multi-purpose arena that primarily functions as the home of the Phoenix Suns (NBA) and Phoenix Mercury (WNBA). Nicknamed “The Purple Palace” because of the prominent color usage throughout the building, Footprint Center is the fourth-oldest NBA arena, trailing Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Target Center in Minneapolis, and Madison Square Garden in New York.

In this piece, we’ll overview the Footprint Center’s amenities with a particular focus on betting opportunities at the venue while also providing an overall history of the arena. Please note that Footprints Center has seen several naming rights changes; when referencing past events, we will reference the name used at the time rather than the current moniker.

About Footprint Center

Construction on the Footprint Center began in 1990 when then-Suns owner Jerry Colangelo opted to replace the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Thus far, the construction and renovation costs have totaled $156 million ($280.2 million in 2022 dollars).

The arena, dubbed America West Arena, opened for the 1992-93 NBA Season, just in time for star forward Charles Barkley to make his Suns debut. Phoenix beat the Los Angeles Clippers 111-105 in the season opener.

In 2006, America West bought out US Airways but chose to use the latter’s name for the venue. The building was known as US Airways Arena until December 2014. At that time, Talking Stick Resort took over the naming rights, though due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a brief time when the resort did not extend naming rights, with the building going by “PHX Arena” and “Phoenix Suns Arena” in the interim.

Then, in 2021, Footprint, a materials science company based in Gilbert, AZ, signed a long-term partnership deal with the Suns. This not only included the naming rights to the building but also detailed a plan to transform the arena into a carbon-neutral, plastic-free building.

Footprint Center seats 17,071 for basketball games with a slight increase for in-the-round style concerts. It has also hosted Arena Football League, National Hockey League, and East Coast Hockey League games, as well as boxing and mixed martial arts matches, bull riding competitions, and WWE events.

Is there sports betting at Footprint Center?

Yes, there is AZ sports betting at Footprint Center. Fans can reserve a spot at the FanDuel Sportsbook retail location inside the arena before making their bets at the eight teller windows or 26 self-service betting kiosks. The sportsbook opens at 9:00 AM Monday through Friday and at 8:00 AM on the weekends.

Footprint Center and FanDuel Sportsbook partnership

Fans can make sports bets at Footprint Center thanks to a partnership with FanDuel Sportsbook AZ. The groups entered into a partnership deal in 2021 that led to the creation of a retail sportsbook inside the arena, as well as allowing FanDuel signage to be displayed throughout the building.

History of the Footprint Center

  • 1990: Suns owner Jerry Colangelo announces plans to replace Arizona Veterans Memorial Arena, which had been the team’s home since 1968.
  • 1992: America West Arena (which would later be named Footprint Center) opens for the beginning of the Suns’ 1992-93 season. Phoenix advanced to the 1993 NBA Finals but lost to the Chicago Bulls. Additionally, the Arizona Rattlers join the Arena Football League as an expansion team, playing in America West Arena until 2023.
  • 1996: The Winnipeg Jets move their franchise to Arizona and become the Phoenix Coyotes, using America West Arena as their home rink. The venue had not been developed with the idea that it could be used as a hockey arena, and the facility was woefully insufficient and ill-fitting for the Coyotes. Three sections of the stands hung over the boards, keeping fans from being able to see the entire field of play. Stadium renovations added a video board to allow fans in those sections to view the games, but the obstructed view seats cost the team millions by forcing them to sell at a reduced cost.
  • 1997: America West hosts ArenaBowl XI for the first time, with the Rattlers defeating the Iowa Barnstormers 55-33. This would be the first of three ArenaBowls to be played at America West (the others were in 2004 and 2011), and the only one that featured the Rattlers.
  • 1998: The Mercury compete in the WNBA Finals for the first time but lose to the Houston Comets.
  • 2003: The Coyotes leave America West and move to Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. America West undergoes a $67 million renovation to build an air-conditioned atrium to keep fans temperate while waiting in line to buy tickets or while entering the arena ahead of games.
  • 2006: “US Airways Arena” becomes the arena’s new name.
    2009: The Mercury win their third WNBA Championship and their first on the home court, defeating the Indiana Fever 94-86 in Game Five of the Finals.
  • 2015: Talking Stick Resort takes over the naming rights of the building, keeping the rights until 2020.
  • 2021: Footprint purchases the naming rights with a commitment to make the Footprint Center a carbon-neutral, plastic-free facility. The Suns advance to the NBA Finals but lose to the Milwaukee Bucks on the road in Game Six.

Contact & opening hours

Address: 201 E Jefferson St Phoenix, AZ 85004
Opening hours: General admission for Suns and Mercury games is two hours before tip-off
Website: https://www.footprintcenter.com
E-mail address: [email protected]
Phone number: 602-379-2000

Author Details

Dan Bradley

Dan Bradley

Dan Bradley is a sports researcher and betting expert at Betting AZ. He has spent 10 seasons as a hockey broadcaster for junior teams in Illinois, Minnesota, and Ohio. When not writing or cohosting his NHL podcast, Pod Snipe Celly, he is mostly out fishing or playing bar trivia.