In a first-ever collaboration, top sports organizations in Arizona have come together to offer 19 one-of-a-kind experiences for fans to raise money for Governor Doug Ducey鈥檚 Arizona Together Coronavirus Relief Fund.

Organizations like the Arizona Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Suns, and Phoenix Raceway are selling raffle tickets to win unique, elite-level packages like four passes to the President’s Suite for the NASCAR Championship race with complimentary food and beverages and a meet-and-greet with Phoenix native and driver Michael McDowell.

鈥淭here鈥檚 never been a collaborative effort like this. It鈥檚 great to see all of us come together and who knows what this can lead to to help our fellow Arizonans and for future collaborations,鈥� said Mike Nealy, executive director of the Fiesta Bowl and Cactus Bowl.

Called the Coronavirus Relief Raffle, anyone can purchase tickets online through May 22. 

All proceeds will be donated to the governor’s emergency relief fund that was launched in April. On Tuesday, Ducey announced that the relief fund has raised more than $8.2 million.聽

The provides financial support to organizations working to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 in Arizona. There are three areas of focus: personal protective equipment for frontline medical workers; non profit organizations that support the most vulnerable Arizonans; and technology for online learning for low-income students.

Sports groups jumped at the chance to offer unique prize packages 

A Fiesta Bowl 鈥測ellow jacket鈥� member thought of the idea after seeing the positive impact of the national All in Challenge, Nealy said. 

The is the largest digital fundraiser in history, raising more than $38 million to aid those affected by the pandemic. Actors, athletes, singers and others offer up items or experiences in an auction or giveaway.

鈥淲e said, let鈥檚 put something together for Arizona. This is right in our wheelhouse and there is a need there,鈥� Nealy said. 鈥淲e started to call a couple of sports entities and boom, boom, everybody jumped in to say, 鈥楥ount us in, count us in.鈥�

鈥淲e all want to help Arizona and have a commitment to the community that has shown its commitment to all of our organizations.鈥�

Pro teams, college bowls and university teams offer prize packages

Participating organizations include the Arizona Bowl, Arizona Cardinals, Arizona Coyotes, Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona State Athletics, University of Arizona Athletics, Cactus Bowl, Cactus League, PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, Grand Canyon University Athletics, Northern Arizona University Athletics, Phoenix Mercury, Phoenix Raceway, Phoenix Rising, Phoenix Suns, Scottsdale Charros and Waste Management Phoenix Open.

鈥淭hese are 鈥榤oney-can鈥檛-buy鈥� experiences being offered to fans that wouldn鈥檛 otherwise be available. And the proceeds go to a great cause to help provide emergency relief for COVID-19,鈥� Nealy said. 鈥淚f we can get this word out, we鈥檙e pretty sure people will be interested.鈥�  

Raffle tickets can be purchased at . All purchases must be made by entrants who are located within the state of Arizona, with an Arizona IP address, at the time of sale.

Prize packages galore 

The collective group wanted to offer fans something they cannot buy, Nealy said. There are 19 unique prize packages.

Arizona Bowl: Four Stadium Club tickets with VIP pregame party passes, including food and beverages, on-field experience and tour, and four tickets for private players party.

Arizona Cardinals: Four VIP tickets with pregame hospitality in Big Red Brew Haus or Red Zone Tailgate, pregame field passes to watch teams warm up, attendance at postgame press conference, and Cardinals fan gear.

Arizona Coyotes: Four on-the-glass tickets with BMW Club access and food and beverage, watch pregame warm-ups from the penalty box, behind-the-scenes tour with Tyson Nash and Paul Bissonnette, postgame player meet-and-greet, autographed jersey, and a stick and puck from team captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Four premium tickets in the D-backs Dugout Box, watch batting practice and the national anthem from the field, a keepsake photo in the D-backs dugout, behind-the-scenes tour with Luis Gonzalez, and ballpark treats delivered to the winners鈥� seats.

Arizona State Football: Four game tickets in the Athletic Director’s Suite with pregame sideline passes and parking pass.

Arizona State Women’s Basketball: Two passes to  attend pregame shootaround practice and pregame team meal, inside access to locker room for pregame, halftime and postgame coach talks, and seats on bench during game plus two tickets for other attendees, and gameday polo. 

University of Arizona Football: Two to four tickets (depends on game and availability) in Athletic Director’s Skybox for a home football game, and join the voice of the Wildcats Brian Jeffries in the radio booth before the game.

University of Arizona Men’s Basketball: Two middle-section tickets (depends on game and availability) for a home men’s basketball game at McKale Center, and experience Arizona team introductions on court a few feet away from the bench.

Cactus Bowl: Four premium game tickets, on-field experience during pregame,  a portion of in-game and postgame ceremony, helmet from one of the participating teams, signed football by both head coaches, and the ability to attend media day.

Cactus League: Two spring training packages for four to the team and facility of their choice, subject to availability, includes tickets, ballpark cash and Cactus League swag for four people.

Grand Canyon University Athletics: Four premium tickets to a GCU men’s basketball game with VIP parking and Lopes Club entry, honorary game ball presentation, gameday polo shirts, round of golf and lunch for 4 players at GCU Golf Course.

Northern Arizona University Athletics: Travel with NAU Football team to a mutually agreed upon away game of choice, including two seats on the NAU charter plane, Friday evening entertainment, two game tickets and hotel accommodations. Typical departure time is Noon on Friday and return departs immediately following the game, with an evening landing in Flagstaff.

Phoenix Mercury: Four premium tickets with VIP access to watch warm-ups from the court, photo with a Mercury player, parking pass, autographed jersey, prize pack, meet and greet with Hall of Famer Ann Meyers Drysdale, invitation to attend practice

Phoenix Raceway: Four passes to the President’s Suite for the NASCAR Championship race with complimentary food and beverages, VIP rooftop seating, INfield experience, VIP parking, meet-and-greet with NASCAR Cup series driver and Phoenix-native Michael McDowell, pace car ride around Phoenix Raceway, photo with the 2020 NASCAR champion following the race, VIP viewing area for pre race ceremonies, photo in the Cactus Flagstand overlooking the start and finish line, and VIP access to the championship party at The Barn.

Phoenix Rising: Training session for four people, four personalized jerseys, a signed Didier Drogba jersey, and four field seats.

Phoenix Suns: Four lower level tickets with dinner in the new premium club, on-court access to watch pregame warm-ups, professional photo on court, autographed jersey, private all-access tour by Alvan Adams, and post game passes.

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl: Four premium tickets, premier pregame party tickets, on-field visit pregame and for a portion of the in-game, ability to attend media day and postgame press conferences, and signed helmet with two head coaches.

Scottsdale Charros: Four VIP tickets to the Charro Lodge at Scottsdale Stadium with complimentary food and beverage, and throw the ceremonial first pitch before San Francisco Giants spring training game.

Waste Management Phoenix Open: Two Chairman’s Club passes that includes exclusive VIP access to hospitality venues on course including the 16th hole, Greenskeeper and Bay Club, tee box access at the 16th hole for the celebrity Shot at Glory, and VIP access to Coors Light Birds Nest.

There are some age restrictions with some of the packages. For example, packages that include activities where alcohol is served may be limited to people who are at least 21 years old. 

Az Sports Together has not set a fundraising goal for the raffle because this is a brand new effort, Nealy said. 

鈥淲e鈥檇 love to raise as much as possible. This is the first time we’ve done this so we don鈥檛 know what to expect.”  For more details, visit: .

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Chase Field, downtown Phoenix home to the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team, is hosting a Topgolf Live golf game this weekend to bring entertainment to local families and companies while raising money for charity.

鈥淚t is thrilling to turn one of 30 Major League Baseball stadiums into a legitimate Topgolf venue, showing the versatility of our facility,鈥� said Derrick Hall, president and CEO of the Arizona Diamondbacks. 鈥淎nd the response from fans and consumers shows the popularity of Topgolf itself and the enthusiasm for pairing it with our home.鈥�

Topgolf Entertainment Group is a global sports entertainment platform with a unique edge: Topgolf balls use the company鈥檚 Toptracer technology to track the ball鈥檚 flight through the air, including distance, height, spin and more.

Topgolf has four permanent venues in Arizona: in Scottsdale, Gilbert, Tucson and its along the Loop 101 freeway.

鈥淏ut tonight, we are here at Chase Field; this is called ,鈥� Topgolf CEO Dolf Berle said on an upper deck of Chase Field, where Topgolf driving range bays have been temporarily installed on top of stadium seating.

鈥淭opgolf is in the business of creating moments that matter and connecting people in meaningful ways, so our hope is that lots of people will come out and enjoy their families and their fellow colleagues at work and have a great time hitting balls out onto the field,鈥� he said.

Berle said he chose Chase Field for Arizona鈥檚 first Topgolf Live event because he is friends with Hall. The two CEOs work together on the board of the , which is based in Phoenix, Berle said.

鈥淭he success of the event will also benefit Make-A-Wish America, as Dolf [Berle] and I, who each serve as national board members, both agreed in the early planning that wish kids should be a focal point,鈥� Hall said.

鈥淲e had this dream that we could do something together where we could bring joy to families and companies here in Phoenix, at Chase Field, through Topgolf, and then at the same time , because we have a fundraiser going for Make-A-Wish,鈥� Berle said. 鈥淭his is a wonderful combination of all of those things.鈥�

Topgolf was founded in the United Kingdom in 2002, and its original three locations outside London are still open today. There are more than 55 Topgolf , according to Berle.

鈥淲hen we came to the United States in 2005, one of the first places we came was Scottsdale, and that鈥檚 because of the wonderful , and the great climate, and we felt that it would be a great place to test the concept,鈥� Berle said.

Topgolf also has locations in Australia and will be expanding globally in 2020, opening venues in Monterrey, Mexico, and Dubai.

鈥淢any people really understand Topgolf as a venue business, but in fact there are several parts of the business, because we鈥檙e a platform company,鈥� Berle said.

Toptracer technology is Topgolf鈥檚 biggest claim to fame and is used in golf matches and tournaments seen on television to give an easy-to-understand visual representation of the ball鈥檚 trajectory.

鈥淚f you watch golf on TV and watch tournaments, you鈥檒l see Toptracer,鈥� Berle said. 鈥淧ro golfers really value that, and it makes it fun to watch in terms of TV broadcast.鈥�

According to Berle, Toptracer is used at driving ranges in 25 countries around the world.

Topgolf has a number of venues called 鈥� the indoor, urban version of Topgolf for big cities.

Last, but not least, Topgolf is a media company: It produces the video game 鈥�,鈥� which is 鈥渢he most popular photorealistic golf [game] you can play on a computer or on your phone,鈥� according to Berle.

鈥淲e furthermore have Topgolf original content, which is ,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his coming year, you鈥檙e going to see an with Topgolf [in collaboration] with Will Smith and Jada Smith, and that will be a lot of fun. It鈥檒l be in the vein of the original content video series that we鈥檝e done over the past few years 鈥� things like and and also .鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e a platform company, we鈥檙e a global sports entertainment company, and we owe a lot to Arizona, because we have four venues here, all of which we love, and we appreciate Arizona as part of our history,鈥� Berle said.

Berle said he hopes hundreds of people will come out to the venue to enjoy the game in a unique setting.

“Tonight, we have the players 鈥� a lot of the Diamondbacks players; Baxter is here; we鈥檝e got a number of celebrities,” Berle said.

鈥淭he weather is perfect, and if you鈥檝e ever dreamed of hitting a ball really far at Chase Field 鈥� it won鈥檛 be a baseball in this case, but come out and hit a golf ball.”

Topgolf Live at Chase Field is .

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The Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team this week announced it was inducted into the Arizona Million Dollar Circle of Excellence for the sixth year in a row.

The Arizona Hispanic 小红帽直播app of Commerce presents the honor to companies that promote supplier diversity by spending more than $1 million annually with minority- and woman-owned businesses in the state, according to a press release from the Major League Baseball team.

鈥淎rizona is one of the most diverse states in our nation, and the D-backs are excited to help lead the way in expanding those opportunities in not just baseball, but by encouraging our partners in the community to do the same,鈥� said Derrick Hall, president and CEO of the Diamondbacks.

The Arizona Million Dollar Circle of Excellence is based on the international , which was created in 2001 to recognize and celebrate corporations that spent at least $1 billion annually with minority- and woman-owned suppliers.

鈥淗aving a diverse workforce and supplier base is very important to us, and we are proud to support minority and women-owned businesses across the state,鈥� Hall said.

More than 30 companies submitted their spending reports and were inducted into the 2019 Circle of Excellence, including the Diamondbacks.

Hall also serves on the Arizona-Mexico Commission board of directors and is a member of MLB鈥檚 International Committee. Under Hall鈥檚 leadership, the Diamondbacks hosted the first round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic and have played six games in Mexico during his time at the helm, most recently in the 2019 Monterrey Series, according to the team.

The Diamondbacks will return to Mexico in April 2020 to play against the San Diego Padres on the international stage at Estadio Diablos, a new facility in Mexico City.

鈥淗aving an MLB series played in Mexico is a tremendous bit of outreach for tourism,鈥� Luis Ramirez, president of Ramirez Advisors Inter-National, . 鈥淏aseball is a common thread between the two countries. Something like this only builds loyalty between Mexico and Arizona. In the future, as these regular season games become more established, we anticipate more Americans going down there to see the games and stay.鈥�

The Arizona Million Dollar Circle of Excellence was created in partnership with the Greater Phoenix Black 小红帽直播app of Commerce, the American Indian 小红帽直播app of Commerce of Arizona, Associated Minority Contractors of America, the Chinese 小红帽直播app of Commerce of Arizona, the Pacific Southwest Supplier Diversity Council, the Asian 小红帽直播app of Commerce, Women鈥檚 Business Enterprise Council-West and other community partners.

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Spring training baseball is upon us, with the Cactus League鈥檚 first game scheduled for today. The next couple months will be filled with excitement and joy for not only baseball fans, but also the local economy.

In previous years, the Cactus League has drawn in many fans from both in- and out-of-state. In fact, an Arizona State University study reports that the Cactus League attracted nearly 1.75 million fans in 2018. Of those, roughly 60 percent visited from other states.

In 2019, the Cactus League plans to bring in even more baseball fanatics. Headlining the many new features of the 2019 Cactus League is a completely renovated ballpark for the Milwaukee Brewers. The newly named American Family Fields of Phoenix on 51st Avenue and Indian School is equipped with $60 million worth of renovations that provides a more comfortable and accommodating experience for both Brewers and baseball fans.

Cactus League president Jeff Meyer describes the renovations as 鈥渁 great collaboration between the city of Phoenix and the Brewers that the fans get to enjoy.鈥�

To kick off the 2019 season, the Arizona Spring Training Experience hosted its annual Cactus League luncheon last Tuesday, which featured appearances from Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred and Governor Doug Ducey. In addition, the luncheon held the induction of the 2019 Cactus League Hall of Fame, which included Ken Griffey Jr., Bobby Freeman, and Robin Yount, among others.

Through spring training games alone, the Cactus League created $373 million for Arizona鈥檚 GDP last year. Plus, job creation and indirect sales contributed to a whopping $644.2 million economic impact.

A significant portion of this revenue was generated from the tourism that baseball brings to the state. Out of state visitors spent a daily average of $405 on games, lodging, food and beverage, souvenirs, and more. In fact, bars, restaurants, and hotels raked in a combined $213 million in just a month of preseason baseball.

Before or after their baseball games, visitors like to explore other parts of Arizona. Cactus League president Jeff Meyer highlights the importance of this. 鈥淭ourism is key there. We鈥檝e been fortunate to have Governor Ducey that highlights baseball as a tourism magnet,鈥� Meyer notes. 鈥淛ust to get people to the state and go on their way to do other things 鈥� we have visitors going to the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and even car auctions that are coming up. It鈥檚 great that baseball helps draw these people in and then lets them explore other parts of Arizona.鈥�

Spring training games will run daily until the end of March. Check out the and enjoy a game.

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Arizona hockey fans can breathe a little easier 鈥� the Coyotes aren鈥檛 going anywhere. Arizona Coyotes President and CEO Ahron Cohen sent a letter to season ticket holders last week assuring them that the team is staying in the state.

Reports surfaced late last year about a potential sale of the team to a different owner. Cohen debunked these rumors in his letter. 鈥淭his [investment] process has at its core one key pre-condition: any investment in our team must be laser-focused on helping the Coyotes聽achieve a long-term sustainable arena solution here in Arizona,鈥� Cohen wrote.

The Coyotes have experienced significant growth in the past few years. Cohen took over as President and CEO this summer, Rick Tocchet became the new head coach last season, and John Chayka is the new General Manager. Cohen believes the transition to new leadership will help the team burgeon for many seasons.

鈥淛ohn鈥檚 background is in hockey analytics. When he came in, his philosophy was getting the right people in place and getting people who want to make us better and who are competitive and want to win,鈥� Cohen said. 鈥淲e brought in Coach Tocchet and found those same abilities. We鈥檙e impressed with his ability to do that with some of our younger players. He鈥檚 able to individualize his coaching abilities so he can get on the same level as players and help them all grow.鈥�

Along with these new leadership assets, Cohen also highlights the team鈥檚 summer re-signing of All-Star Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Cohen points out that Ekman-Larsson is one of the best defenders in hockey and could sign with any team he chooses. However, according to Cohen, 鈥淗e believes in Tocchet and the team and chose to stay here.鈥�

Additionally, the Coyotes provide much more to Arizona than just hockey. Last year, the Coyotes donated more than $2.7 million to various organizations in the community. Moving forward, the team plans to invest $500 thousand in a physical education curriculum that will promote health and wellness in hundreds of schools across the Valley.

Cohen emphasizes that Arizona is the home of the Coyotes 鈥� the citizens care about the team, and they will do anything in their power to keep the team here. 鈥淭his is our home. There鈥檚 no place we would rather be than Arizona,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is the place that is our long-term home going on 22 seasons. This is a phenomenal hockey market. I鈥檓 out in the community every day talking to various people in the state, and the thing that really resonates with me is how much people love hockey. 聽

Hockey fans and members of the community can take a deep breath; the Arizona Coyotes are here to stay.

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Arizona has proven itself to be the perfect place for entrepreneurship, and Hispanic citizens are a growing element of the business community. To recognize Hispanic entrepreneurship, the Phoenix Suns have launched 鈥淟os Suns Small Business MVP,鈥� a program that recognizes Hispanic-owned small businesses in the state.

Through February 19th, Hispanic small business owners can to be recognized as a small business 鈥淢VP.鈥� The winners will receive a VIP experience at a Suns game, where they will receive an all-inclusive suite, a pregame recognition ceremony, and a business spotlight at halftime.

According to the , 20 percent of Arizona鈥檚 small businesses are Hispanic-owned. Consequently, they play a significant role in growing the economy and creating new jobs. In fact, the rose by almost 70 percent between 2007 and 2012 鈥� the largest jump by any demographic group.

Phoenix Suns Chief Marketing Officer Matt Wright notes that the inspiration for the program stemmed from the presence of the Hispanic population in the state. Arizona鈥檚 population is 31 percent Hispanic, so they have comprised a major portion of the Suns’ fanbase from the very beginning.

鈥淲e partnered with Univision and identified what factors we thought were important. The first is the local employment: how many jobs are these companies creating for Arizona residents?鈥� Wright said. 鈥淭he second piece that we look at is how these businesses give back to their communities and how they鈥檙e helping local residents. The third one is innovation and competition. We鈥檙e always looking to see how businesses are separating themselves and what they are doing to innovate, so that plays a role too.鈥�

In addition to the MVP program, the Suns have pursued multiple other ventures to recognize the Hispanic community. For example, the recently released Nike 鈥淐ity鈥� jerseys feature 鈥淟os Suns鈥� on the front, similar to their older Latin Nights uniforms. 鈥淚t plays homage to the history of the Los Suns moniker in our community,鈥� Wright said. 鈥淥ne of the things is when Nike came on to be the official jersey provider for the NBA, we had an opportunity to tell the story of what really resonated with our community. We thought that featuring Los Suns was a great way to do that.鈥�

Last season, the Suns made history by being the first team to play consecutive games in Mexico City and are looking to return to Mexico. This season, the Suns also started to broadcast television games in Spanish for the first time in franchise history. Fox Arizona Plus has already featured two games in Spanish and will host two more on January 24th and March 21st.

For fans living in Phoenix, the Suns will have a Latin Night on March 1st and a Los Suns night on March 18th. For those that cannot attend the game, the organization has created a website and social media accounts where Spanish-speakers can follow the action.

Arizona鈥檚 roots stem from its Hispanic population, and the Phoenix Suns are recognizing that through their new small business MVP program.

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This summer, the Phoenix Suns and PayPal announced a multi-year partnership that would put PayPal鈥檚 logo on Suns jerseys. This partnership is the first of its kind for the Phoenix Suns and has already proven to be an impactful relationship for both parties.

Suns President and CEO Jason Rowley notes that choosing a jersey partnership was important because the jersey patch gets so much attention. The size and location of the patch gets some of the most visibility in an NBA game, making it a perfect place for advertisers and an excellent opportunity for teams in the league.

Rowley explains that PayPal is the perfect jersey sponsor because the company shares the same customer-centric viewpoint as the Suns. 鈥淗aving a frictionless transaction, whether it鈥檚 PayPal for business or Venmo for transferring money between friends, all of that鈥檚 driven by what makes the most sense for the consumer,鈥� Rowley states. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a consistency between how they reach their customers and how we reach our customers, which is important to us.鈥�

Further, PayPal provides an international presence for the Suns, which is crucial as the NBA continues to expand. 鈥淟ooking at the NBA as a whole, the NBA has a tremendous and continually growing reach across the globe in terms of participation,鈥� Rowley continues. 鈥淏y way of example, there is more Chinese youth playing basketball than there are people in the US.鈥�

The Suns have already increased their presence globally 鈥� according to Rowley, the Suns rank 12th in global presence of all teams in the league. In fact, the Suns were the first team to play a home game in Mexico two years ago. A partnership with PayPal can help the Phoenix Suns expand their global footprint.

Currently, the team is working to integrate PayPal payment services into their online and stadium infrastructures. Rowley notes that the team鈥檚 goal is to complete the implementation of these systems by the end of the season. 鈥淲e hope to have it before that 鈥� but there鈥檚 a realization that it will take some time to get there,鈥� he expounds. 鈥淲e would rather have it be a seamless rather than a poor experience for the fans.鈥�

Through this multi-year partnership, fans can expect to have new and convenient payment services to acquire season tickets, buy merchandise, and purchase concessions. Plus, the added revenue allows the Suns to invest more into the team and make the fan experience that much richer.

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The Alliance of American Football, a new minor football league debuting next February, has named the Arizona Hotshots as one of its first eight teams. The Hotshots will partner with Arizona State University to play in Sun Devil Stadium.

The organization will host a 12-week football season beginning in February 2019 and ending with a championship game in late April. The alliance has already signed more than 500 players across the eight teams, who come from a wide variety of universities across the nation. Other cities hosting teams include Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis, Orlando, Salt Lake City, and San Diego.

The Arizona franchise created the name 鈥淗otshots鈥� to honor the countless Arizona firefighters that combat forest fires every year. As explained on the team website, 鈥淗otshot firefighters are highly successful and an essential line of defense in battling the most serious wildfires across the country.鈥� Although the team has not released their jersey design yet, fans can buy select merchandise from the team store.

Arizona Hotshots President Scott Brubaker explains that Arizona is the perfect location for spring football for many reasons. 鈥淭his is one of the best sports towns in the country. We鈥檝e got every traditional professional sport represented, as well as arena football and the U.S. Open,鈥� Brubaker notes. 鈥淎lso, the weather is hard to beat between February and April, so that鈥檚 important too.鈥�

In fact, Brubaker notes that Arizona is one of the premier football locations in the country. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to quantify, but it鈥檚 really just a football state. Not only the Cardinals, but ASU and UA also have a big following,鈥� Brubaker states. 鈥淎lso, I was on the original executive committee that originally started the Rattlers in 1992, and it鈥檚 grown a lot since then. Football is America鈥檚 game, and it鈥檚 certainly Arizona鈥檚 game as well.鈥�

The Hotshots will also largely impact the state鈥檚 economy and businesses. Not only will there be opportunities for partnerships and advertising with AAF and the Hotshots, but it will also create more tax revenue for the state. Brubaker also notes that while there may not necessarily be new job creation, there will certainly be job extensions 鈥� with five more home games, concession workers, security guards, ushers, etc. will have more opportunities to work at Sun Devil Stadium.

Closing down the upper dome of the stadium, the Hotshots intend to make their football games a much more intimate experience with 鈥渇amily-oriented pricing,鈥� according to Brubaker. The introduction of the AAF will provide new opportunities for families, businesses, and sports fans across the Valley.

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Soon you can drink, eat and practice your swing at , located directly west of the 101 freeway off Bethany Home Road.

Topgolf is a golf-focused entertainment venue where guests of all levels of golf expertise can enjoy a driving range from the comfort of their hitting bay. Food, drinks, event spaces and a variety of other amenities are available.

Senior Marketing Manager Trisha Smith said Topgolf Glendale 鈥渨ill open with over 500 associates in the building. That鈥檚 everything from front-of-the-house bay hosts, bartenders, guest services. And then we have back-of-the-house which is our facilities team, maintenance on the field, marketing, sales and administration.鈥�

Smith said that as the venue grows, Topgolf Glendale will host hiring events as needed. A full and ready-to-go staff is a necessity for a large venue with a variety of amenities.

鈥淎t this venue we鈥檝e got a total of 102 hitting bays, 34 bays per level, three levels,鈥� Operations Manager Jon Stone said.

He also explained that the venue offers a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces for leisure and events.

Smith described Topgolf Glendale as a prototype that is unique from the other venues.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not only excited to be part of Glendale, but to give Glendale our newest and best- I guess you can say- venue,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e really tried to incorporate a lot of the suggestions that our guests have given us about amenities that they would like to see.鈥�

Smith said some of the venue鈥檚 unique features are charging stations at each hitting bay, outdoor leisure spaces on each level and extended tee lines.

The Glendale venue will be the third Topgolf in the Valley, and the fourth in Arizona. It is in close proximity to the State Farm Stadium and the Westgate Entertainment District, which already attracts a variety of locals and tourists.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been looking at the West Valley for a little while and we were really excited to be able to come to this side of town,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淎nd after meeting with [the City of] Glendale and hearing about all the amazing plans that they have for growth and development, we just kind of knew this was the right place.鈥�

The city鈥檚 growth and the were not the only enticing factors.

Smith explained that the city of Glendale was 鈥渧ery accommodating鈥� and 鈥渢hey really helped make the process quick. There wasn鈥檛 a whole lot of red tape that we had to jump through. And any we did, they really helped walk us through that process. They鈥檝e been very warm and inviting.鈥�

Topgolf Glendale is set to open on Friday, September 21.

鈥淲e鈥檙e just excited for everybody to come and have a good time, play and encourage people to come out and see the venue,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚f you鈥檝e never been to Topgolf, we鈥檙e not just for golfers. We are a sports entertainment venue, we have something for everybody. If you have been, this one鈥檚 unique so come check it out.鈥�

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In 1995, Major League Baseball awarded Arizona an expansion franchise. On March 31, 1998, the Diamondbacks played their first game in front of 50,179 fans in overflowing Bank One Ballpark, now Chase Field. This year marks 20 years since the Diamondbacks鈥� first opening day in 1998.

There have been many historic moments in the last 20 years, but most Arizonans remember the 2001 World Series, where the Diamondbacks became the fastest expansion team to win a championship, only four years after its inception.

To commemorate the most impactful players from the last 20 years to wear the Diamondbacks鈥� uniform, the organization released the names of 16 players that fans chose for a 20th anniversary team. The team includes current first-baseman and six-time All-Star Paul Goldschmidt, all-time leader in almost every offensive category who is best known for his walk-off hit in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, Luis Gonzalez, and Hall of Fame pitcher and five-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson, just to name a few.

These players have helped the Diamondbacks attract almost 50 million fans to the ballpark, but the Diamondbacks鈥� contribution to the community extends far beyond the ball field. Fans and non-fans have benefitted from an economic boost to the community as well as the organization鈥檚 commitment to service in our state.

The Diamondbacks played their first game 20 years ago, but the organization has had a positive economic impact for longer. 2,627 jobs were created each year during the construction of the ballpark in 1996, 1997, and 1998. The economic output of construction alone was $689.7 million, before a single game was played.

Since the stadium鈥檚 completion, Chase Field has employed an average of 1,500 people each year, not including employment generated outside the stadium in hotels, merchandise sales, transportation, etc.

In total, the economic output from the last 20 years exceeds $8.3 billion, or about $415 million per year including taxes from ticket sales, concessions, food, maintenance, merchandise, advertising revenue, utility bills, and hotel bills.

Off the field, the organization鈥檚 commitment to the community began in 1997 with the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation. The Foundation addresses three main areas of need: homelessness, indigent health care, and a wide range of children鈥檚 programs. The Diamondbacks and the Foundation have given more than $55 million to non-profit organizations across the community.

The Diamondbacks鈥� dedication to Arizona is something that has been ingrained in the organization since its founding, according to Senior Vice President of Communications Josh Rawitch. 鈥淲e鈥檙e always going to give back to the community,鈥� commented Rawitch, 鈥淓ven when the team doesn鈥檛 win on the field, we know that we can still have wins off the field.鈥�

In 2010, the organization became the first professional sports team to win the inaugural United Nations NGO Positive Peace Award that recognizes organizations that positively impact their communities through corporate responsibility. The Diamondbacks were specifically awarded for their work with the Boys & Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix and the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC).

鈥淲e鈥檙e blessed to be able to be on a big stage out here and we get to impact a lot of people, not only on the field but off the field. You鈥檙e able to use your voice and your reputation as a player to try to help other organizations,鈥� said Diamondbacks legend Luis Gonzalez after his selection to the 20th anniversary team. 鈥淓very player that comes here, I think they understand the concept – it鈥檚 about giving back and understanding the importance of giving back. That鈥檚 something we take a lot of pride in as the Arizona Diamondbacks.鈥�

The Diamondbacks have contributed to our state in countless ways, but the organization鈥檚 partnership with Arizona has just begun, according to Rawitch. 鈥淲hat you鈥檝e seen in the first 20 years, you鈥檙e going to see more of in the next 20.鈥�

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