Countdown to 2024 NCAA Final Four in Phoenix: Sky Harbor Airport unveils countdown clock
"Championship City."
As Phoenix prepares to host the NCAA Final Four basketball tournament in April 2024, Mayor Kate Gallego thinks that nickname is most fitting for the reputation the Valley has as a prime location for major sports tournaments.
Now, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is counting down the days with a Final Four countdown clock at the airport, which was unveiled Thursday, April 20.
"You're going to see basketball take over the city streets," Gallego said at the unveiling, adding that she was looking forward to her son participating in the Final Four Dribble event where more than 3,000 children dribble basketballs on downtown streets.
Sky Harbor also used a countdown clock to draw attention to Phoenix hosting Super Bowl 2023, held in February.
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Where is NCAA Final Four in 2024?
The 2024 NCAA Final Four is scheduled for April 6 and 8, 2024 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
That's where the tournament was played when metro Phoenix last hosted it in 2017. At that time, the stadium was known as the University of Phoenix Stadium.
More: How to get tickets to 2024 Men's Final Four at State Farm Stadium in Arizona
Why is the NCAA Final Four a big deal for Phoenix?
Hosting major events like the Final Four and the Super Bowl shines a light on what Phoenix has to offer locals and tourists, said Jay Parry, president and CEO of the Phoenix Local Organizing Committee for the 2024 Final Four. She served in a similar capacity for the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee for Super Bowl 2023.
"We get to introduce these fan bases to Phoenix in April, which is one of the best times to visit," Parry told The Arizona Republic.
"The Final Four is the mecca of college basketball. And what's great with the Final Four is, like this year with the Super Bowl, all eyes will be on Phoenix because you don't know what team will rise to the top in March Madness and it creates a lot of excitement around who will be in Phoenix for the championship."
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How will March Madness affect Phoenix tourism?
Like the Super Bowl, events based around the Final Four will include concerts and a fan experience. When the Final Four last came to Phoenix, the March Madness Music Festival presented Aerosmith, Blink-182, Keith Urban, Macklemore and the Chainsmokers.
The 2024 Final Four won't be the last sports championship to come to Phoenix. JoAn Scott, NCAA managing director for men's basketball championships, said the NCAA women's Final Four will be played at the Footprint Center in 2026.
"It's elevating that Phoenix is a basketball city," she said.
Scott thinks metro Phoenix and other destinations in Arizona will benefit from the Final Four being in town, especially because the championship schedule allows time for visitors to build day trips around it.
She said that in 2017 some fans brought their families and built in time to play golf at area resorts or visit the Grand Canyon.
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Reach the reporter at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @salerno_phx.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Final Four 2024: Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport unveils countdown clock
