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Lore & Background

The arena has seen its share of memorable basketball moments. In its inaugural season, it hosted three games of the 1993 NBA Finals between the Suns and the Chicago Bulls; it also hosted three games of the 2021 NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Mercury hosted WNBA Finals games in 1998, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2021, and 2025. It also played host to the 1995, and the 2009 (and will host the 2027) NBA All-Star Games and the 2000 and 2024 WNBA All-Star Game. On the collegiate level, the arena has hosted the regional finals of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament four times (1999, 2004, 2008, and 2012). It will also host the women's basketball Final Four for the first time in 2026.

In Their Own Story

The arena's capacity for basketball games was originally 19,023, but it was reduced after the 2002–03 season to 18,422, then again to 18,055 before the 2014–15 season. The arena seats 17,071 for basketball. 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 arena also hosted the Arizona Sandsharks of the defunct Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL). Its most common nickname is 'The Purple Palace', though during the Rattlers' season it is known as 'The Snake Pit'.

Reader's Guide

The arena has hosted various professional wrestling events, including SummerSlam 2003, Judgment Day 2006, Cyber Sunday 2008, Money in the Bank 2012, Royal Rumble 2013, Elimination Chamber 2017, NXT TakeOver: Phoenix, and AEW Dynamite live broadcast and Rampage taping on February 22, 2023. Notable boxing events include Oscar De La Hoya's early bouts, Michael Carbajal's WBO world Junior Flyweight title against Josue Camacho in 1994, and Julio César Chávez ended his career with a fight at the arena. Jaime Munguía vs. John Ryder took place at the arena on January 27, 2024; Munguía won the bout by knockout in nine rounds. In MMA, the arena has hosted several noteworthy UFC 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. Frank Sinatra gave one of his last concerts on December 10, 1993, in the arena.

Did You Know?

• The arena opened under the name America West Arena on June 6, 1992, at a cost of $89 million.
• The National Hockey League's Phoenix Coyotes played their first seven seasons at the arena following their arrival in Phoenix on July 1, 1996.
• The arena is 1 million square feet (93,000 m2) in size on an 11-acre (4.5 ha) site.
• The Arizona Rattlers won ArenaBowl XI with a 55–33 win over the Iowa Barnstormers on August 25, 1997.
• Frank Sinatra gave one of his last concerts on December 10, 1993, in the arena.