With Multiple Tournaments Coming In, Mesa Has a November to Remember

Home to some of the nation’s most in-demand sports facilities, Mesa, Arizona will host a record number of events in November, generating substantial economic benefits for the city and its residents.

Throughout the month, a myriad of sports events will bring 20,000 athletes and spectators to Mesa who are projected to consume over 7,200 hotel room nights and directly spend approximately $13.8 million. The events are diverse and will bring visitors from across the U.S. and around the world.

Key Events and Economic Contributions:

• Nov. 7-10: U.S. Youth Soccer National League Quarterfinals - Quarterfinal matches for U.S Youth Soccer National League for U16-19 and U13-15, respectively, will bring a combined 1,900 hotel room nights. The two tournaments are expected to attract approximately 2,900 attendees to the Arizona Athletic Grounds. Tickets will be sold at the gate.

• Nov. 6-9: Mesa Community College Thunderbird Basketball Classic - Bringing in teams from across the country, this tournament held at Mesa Community College has contracted 128 hotel room nights. The basketball classic is estimated to attract 200 attendees and showcases top junior college talent in both men's and women’s basketball. Tickets will be sold at the gate.
• Nov. 8-10: U.S. Open Netball Championships - Featuring a large international travel base, the U.S. Open Netball Championships held at Arizona Athletic Grounds will consume approximately 685 hotel room nights and can expect over 600 attendees. Tickets will be sold at the gate.
• Nov. 9-10: IWLCA (International Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association) Southwest Cup - One of the nation’s largest college recruiting events for women’s lacrosse, the Southwest Cup has booked 760 hotel room nights in Mesa. Tickets will be sold at the Red Mountain Soccer Complex Expansion and is expected to bring in around 700 athletes/coaches/scouts.

• Nov. 9-17: Biofreeze USA Pickleball Nationals - With an impressive 2,400 contracted hotel room nights, Mesa will host up to 3,000 qualified at Arizona Athletic Grounds, along with an estimated 10,000 spectators in attendance. Tickets will be sold online and at the gate.
• Nov. 13-17: World Field Target Shooting Championships - Mesa will be hosting athletes from over 42 countries when this international competition returns to the U.S. for the first time since 2007. Of the 36 U.S. locations considered to host this prestigious event, Mesa secured the bid and will welcome over 300 athletes. This event is not ticketed nor open to the public.
• Nov. 15-17: Turf Wars: Last War - This professional kickball event is expected to feature 50 teams, representing approximately 1,000 attendees. In addition to the main competition, the event will partner with Mikey’s League, an adaptive sports organization, for the Limitless Division, which will offer a Friday clinic and spotlight game featuring local adaptive athletes. Turf Wars is also collaborating with Outloud Sports, an LGBTQ+ organization. Tickets will be sold at the gate.

Mesa’s facilities such as Red Mountain Soccer Complex, Lehi Sports Park, Sloan Park (Spring Training home of the Chicago Cubs), and Hohokam Stadium (Spring Training home of the Oakland A’s) are sought-after venues for organizations hosting local, regional and national events. Additionally, Mesa’s world-class family sports complex, Arizona Athletic Grounds, provides athletes with 16 basketball courts, 24 soccer fields, 41 pickleball courts, 50 indoor volleyball courts and more. Beyond the fields, Mesa’s proximity to the Tonto National Forest, Salt River and Usery Mountain Regional Park opens opportunities for all kinds of outdoor recreation and leisure pursuits.

"Mesa’s top-tier facilities and attractions make us one of the nation’s leading destinations for hosting elite sporting events,” said Lance Fite, Visit Mesa’s Vice President, Sports. "As we continue to attract high-caliber national and international events, our community benefits from the influx of imported visitor dollars and global exposure, which may eventually lead to other, more traditional economic developments. After all, outside investments first start with a visit. The estimated impact of these November events alone is a testament to the growing appeal of Mesa as a world-class sports hub."

Looking ahead, Mesa will also host the world-famous baseball circus, Savannah Bananas, at Sloan Park to kick-off their 2025 Banana Ball World Tour in early February 2025. Also, Mesa will welcome the return of the Western Athletic Conference Baseball Championships, as well as the Desert Challenge Games, among dozens of other events, between December and Spring 2025.

The estimated direct visitor spend figures are based on a combination of contracted hotel room nights, contracted hotel room rates and calculations provided by Destinations International Event Impact Calculator, which utilizes economic impact modeling from Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company. The Event Impact Calculator is utilized by over 300 destinations worldwide.