PHOENIX — The NCAA Men's Final Four is less than three months away and the Valley has already planned a number of events to complement the tournament at Glendale's State Farm Stadium.
Officials released a list on Wednesday detailing the scheduled events that will take place throughout the Phoenix area during the four-day event that starts April 5.
Fan Fest
Capital One is presenting the Men’s Final Four Fan Fest at the Phoenix Convention Center in downtown Phoenix from April 5-8. The event is described as a "sports wonderland" that includes games, special celebrity appearances, and photo opportunities with the NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship trophy.
Admission to the event is free for for Capital One cardholders, 2024 Men’s Final Four Game ticketholders and kids 12 and under.
March Madness Music Festival
Three days of live music will take place at Margaret T. Hance Park in downtown Phoenix during the weekend of the tournament.
Past festival performers have included Bruce Springsteen, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, and Panic! At the Disco. Organizers have not released this year's performers.
Reese’s Men’s Final Four Friday
The public is invited to watch Men’s Final Four team practices on April 5 at State Farm Stadium before the championship game.
Men's Final Four Dribble
Families are invited to participate in a 0.7-mile course from Phoenix Heritage Square to the Phoenix Convention Center that involves kids dribbling a special NCAA Men’s Final Four Dribble Wilson basketball. The event is free.
Legacy Project
A community project is planned for the park near 16th and Jefferson streets in Phoenix that will involve refurbishing basketball courts and painting a mural. The project should be done before the tournament starts.
Press conference on the events:
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. The Coyotes play at Mullett Arena on ASU's Tempe campus.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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