Hosting a college baseball conference tournament usually is full of long days, for nearly a week at a time.
Now, imagine doing two of those tournaments, almost concurrently, in the same city. That’s the scenario in Mesa, Arizona, next week with the WAC Tournament starting Tuesday and lasting through Saturday at Hohokam Stadium, while the Mountain West Tournament starts Wednesday and lasts through Saturday at Sloan Park. Both events are ticketed and open to the public.
“Having both NCAA Division I baseball championship events run simultaneously just three miles apart is an unparalleled feeling of achievement and excitement,” said Lance Fite, vice president for sports at Visit Mesa. “For the city of Mesa to be synonymous multiple NCAA baseball championships from two different conferences really catapults Mesa and the state of Arizona to the top of mind when considering who is nationally recognized as a baseball mecca.”
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The Mountain West tournament marks the first time the event will be at a neutral field and in the state of Arizona. The six-team, double-elimination tournament came to Mesa in partnership with the Arizona Sport and Entertainment Commission.
“The Mountain West Conference belongs in Arizona,” said Nikki Balich-Cammarata, executive director of the Arizona Sports & Entertainment Commission. “With its schools’ proximity, competitive spirit, and strong fan base, Arizona is the ideal stage for its championships. From hosting MW Tennis in Oro Valley to launching the Arizona Bowl in Tucson, our partnership has only grown. Bringing the MW Baseball Championship to Sloan Park strengthens that bond, driving tourism and showcasing Arizona as a top sports destination.”
Landing the Mountain West Tournament has been a years-long goal for the ASEC, which has worked with Mesa’s stakeholders on logistics and tournament organization.
“Nikki Balich, her team at ASEC and the team at Sloan Park are world class,” Fite said. “Not only have they been incredible to collaborate with on hotel sourcing and event logistics, but their resources and relationships both in the state and with the Mountain West Conference will have that event running seamlessly. While I dive in running all logistics for the WAC championships, I’m so thankful to know the Mountain West championships will be in great hands.”
The WAC tournament is a day longer with eight teams instead of six. Hohokam Stadium first hosted the tournament in 2010 and has since hosted all but two tournaments, 2013 and in 2020 (canceled by the pandemic).
“The WAC leadership and event directors along with the City of Mesa Parks and Rec roll up our sleeves and put on an amazing event year after year for the ultimate athlete experience,” Fite said. “These collaborative efforts across multiple entities fully buying in to run an event not only ensure a successful event to the viewer and athletes. It’s a long week with many 14–16 hour days but is so fulfilling on championship day to see a team crowned champions.”
The tournaments also provide another week’s worth of bookings for spring training venues, which are famously used on a daily basis before the MLB season and then again in the Arizona Fall League.
“I think the social and economic impacts both of these events bring to Mesa is definitive proof that these facilities are incredible demand drivers and multifaceted revenue generators,” Fite said. “There is always that bit of unknowledgeable commentary around facilities like these only being programmed one month out of the year, which is not true. Both Sloan Park and Hohokam Stadium are amazing stewards to the city in attracting baseball and non-baseball events that the community benefits from. Having great relationships with facility leadership at venues like these are paramount in providing year-round impacts to fans and stakeholders alike.”
Sloan Park opened in 2014 and serves as the home field of the Arizona League Cubs of the Arizona Complex League and the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League. Hohokam Stadium was the Cubs’ spring training home 1997 to 2013 before the Cubs moved to Sloan Park and the Athletics took over Hohokam Stadium.
“It’s no secret that late in the month of May nearing June, Arizona is heating up, our spring peak time has ended and our hotels, bars, restaurants and partners need a new pipeline of business,” Fite said. “The timing of these NCAA baseball championships couldn’t be more perfect to fill that void in a time of need for an entire week. The economic impact implications are a cherry on top entering the summer months by providing so many stakeholders opportunities to capitalize on two large fan bases that will explore all our city and state has to offer.”
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