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US Airways Center
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17 reviews for US Airways Center
Other than the fact I can't get used to the new name, not much has changed at the Arena since the days I was a regular at every Rattlers home game. The upper decks still cause heart stopping vertigo, the bathrooms have too long of lines and not enough toilet paper, and the concessions are the wrong temperature and way too expensive. However, that all comes with the territory of any arena type event.
Most recently I saw the Billy Joel Elton John Face to Face concert here. My tickets said "Obstructed View" but overall, we still had a decent view of the stage. The large screen projections made up for the height we were at. The sound was good and the concert itself was amazing.
The biggest problem I have is with the actual concession stand staff. Is there a rule I am unaware of that forces these people to take 15 minutes to ring up a beer? I understand the "I have to pour this into a cup" taking a minute, but it's like the longer the line gets, the slower these guys work.
Was fortunate enough to catch a great Suns game (even though they lost in the end) about two Christmases ago courtesy of an acquaintance. Nice seats, too. ($30+ for a seat in the nosebleed sections? I'd rather get catering, invite friends over, and enjoy the game at home!)
Sorry, not much of a review, I know. Lots of parking, but walk with a friend or seek out security on bikes for safety. Lackluster food options, but easily solved by eating elsewhere; help support local businesses!
After a year and a half of living in the Valley, I finally made it to US Airways twice in March - once for the Cavs/Suns game and once for the Elton John/Billy Joel Face to Face concert. For the Suns game, I went with two girlfriends and we drove...parking was super easy and convenient in a garage and it was only $10. Sweet. For the concert, my husband and I took light rail and it ran late that evening. Double sweet. Walking around downtown around 5:45 pm the evening of the concert, parking near US Airways was running about $20-25.
The atmosphere outside before the Suns game was awesome - live band playing and different things set up for kids and kids at heart alike. Getting in for the game was really easy and quick; for the concert, not so much. It was a huge clusterf*ck and while at times there was semblences of lines, really it was just people pushing toward the door. Once inside, both times, I really wished there was better signage and directions on which way to head. I have been to better looking arenas, but the worst part about the setup for US Airways is that the walkways, especially on the second level, are quite narrow for the amount of people that were at both events, so it gets way too congested to even walk.
The concession stand choices are horrid. My two girlfriends and I set out to find something to eat prior to the Suns game beginning and we finally had to settle for Subway. The concession stand choices that we saw were pizza, nachos, pretzels, and candy. No fries. No burgers. No chicken tenders. Definitely make sure to eat at one of the restaurants around the arena before heading in.
For the Suns game, we sat in section 225 which is a corner section. For buying the tickets two days prior to the game for $53 each, we were really happy with our seats and the view. We didn't miss any of the action and even from section 225, row 10, Shaq looked HUGE. We didn't feel too far away at all and we had perfect views of the court and the scoreboards. For the concert, we were in section 219 which is on the side. Seats were pretty decent...we could see the stage really well, but lights blocked our view of some of the screens. Acoustics for the concert were a bit lacking, but I'm not sure if that was due to the equipment the tour had or if it is because of the venue.
I wouldn't run back to US Airways for a concert, but will definitely go to another Suns game. People were totally into the game and it was nice to see people watch the whole game and stand up and cheer. I felt this venue is good for basketball, but for concerts, it was just OK.
"Don't tell me Matt flew to Phoenix to watch a Warrior's game?"
"You bet I did!"
With playoff admiration, the Golden State Warriors are playing the Phoenix Suns in the rattlesnake city and must beat Suns and their final game versus Seattle to stay alive and qualify them to be in the playoff. In order to be in the playoff, the Denver Nuggets, who is also competing with the Warriors for the final playoff spot must lose their remaining games in order to qualify themselves into the playoffs.
Going to the U S Airway Center and Chase Field (D-backs home), which are next door to each other, are really walking distance from Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix; so if you staying in the downtown area, renting a car is not necessary. Or if you are lazy, you can take the train-line to the arena.
I'll come clean; the venue and crib for the Phoenix Suns is a lot nicer than my Oracle Arena. I know it's about time that my Warriors need a new arena. It's a matter of time that the city of Oakland will discuss and approve the expensive plan. The US Airway Center has an atmosphere of a hotel and casino. It's not a bad place for a concert performance or a Yelp-event!
I was very fortunate to obtain ticket for the Phoenix Sun's game versus my Golden State Warriors from the ticket booth. Although I spent $35.00 on a "nose-bleed" seat, the seat was good enough for me to cheer my Golden State Warriors to a victory. This is my third NBA city and arena that I've visited (Sacramento and now Phoenix). Both of those cities were with my Warriors as the visiting team. Even cooler, that I was very thrilled to see my team with their cool orange jersey.
Sadly, my Warriors not only lost the game, but also officially eliminated from any playoff contention. Now I need to find other hobby (s) to keep me occupy for the next season. I'll still watch the NBA Playoffs, but won't be the same without my Warriors. Still I did had fun going to another NBA city to watch a game.
My husband and I were invited to a Phoenix Suns game, this one versus the Sacramento Kings. Not being an advid fan of basketball, this was my first time to a basketball arena to see a game up close and personal.
The US Airways Center was a great sight to be seen. Even though I felt I was being advertised to the whole night (I need Coke, not wait Jack in the Box, ooo a Toyota, I need it now!), they definitely keep you entertained. It was The Gorilla's birthday that night complete with visiting mascots, cupcakes for fans, and a former American Gladiator v. mascot showdown. Although the most exciting thing to watch was all the Kings players that would run into Shaq, almost fall down and Shaq would just stand there, like a brick wall. That and after the dancers performed to an Aerosmith song, the stadium played Aerosmith's "Dude Looks Like a Lady," as they exited! HA!
There's a good variety of food, I had Caesar salad with flat bread in a cup, a nice change of pace compared to ballpark food. The hubby had Subway. Good times were had by all and the Suns trounced the Kings.
Suns games. Good view from all areas. Beer. Pizza Hut. Gross popcorn. Watermelon slushy drinks gave me the runs. Not a whole lot else to say.
Catching a Suns game in the US Airways Center is liking finding an archaic, beaten down, and otherwise, divey roadhouse that has the capital to serve Foie gras, Santa Maria steak, fresh cut sweet potato fries, caramel infused churros, and Live Oak Hefewiezen.
Such a house is not fit for vamp choices, like the US Air Center is not fit for superior products like Nash, Amare, Shaq, and Bell. The arena is too small, the grade of the grandstands is too flat, the mezzanine does not overlap the lower deck, the sound doesn't keep, the lighting is dismal, the baseline is wasted on a humongous media center, the concourse is narrow and difficult to navigate, the plaza is lame, and as a whole, has an EXTREMELY goofy nickname.
Buuuut ... The "Purple Palace" does have an inviting, simplified, and cozy atmosphere. Every sightline is a good one. The commodity that they place on the court 41 times a season is exciting and entertaining and competitive. After all, as sports fans, MOREOVER, as Valley sports fans, all we ask is a little run to the playoffs, and maybe, just maybe falling into a Finals appearance.
We aren't spoiled here. We'll sit out in the triple digits if it means the Cards could finish above .500, we'll clamor for overinflated tickets for a division series in baseball, and we'll certainly take the pratfalls of our dinky NBA arena if it means the Suns continue to play the most exciting brand of basketball in the laborious and superior Western Conference. I just think the Valley's best and most consistent team deserves something similar to the Staples Center than something that should have been erected in Salt Lake City.
I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Phoenix Suns vs Houston Rockets basketball game on Saturday night - and managed to score a premium seat in a private suite (a sweet suite).
An amazing game with Shaq onboard (the Suns trounced the Rockets).
Anyway the point is that US Airways Center is a perfect venue - several cool bar/restaurants circle the site for pre and post game activities. We grabbed a brew over at Alice Cooperstown then headed to the game.
We parked in the garage that bordered the arena, and conveniently walked from our parking spot directly into the place.
The only complaint I have is that smokers are treated more like murderers - I had to walk a 1/2 mile to an outdoor spot each time I wanted a puff (which when drinking is fairly often). I understand non-smokers don't want to breath my smoke - I don't understand how an enterprise this large doesn't have a few patios for us unclean heathens. As anti-smoking as some people are, remember it IS legal and certainly less of a poison than hard alcohol (which the lounges here gleefully serve).
What could be better than the Suns vs. Celtics? What could be more exciting than seeing a first-person account of the intensity of Suns fans - the roaring cheers, the music, the stunts and even the fire? What could be more exciting than seeing two ex-KU players (Pierce and Pollard) take the floor to battle Nash & Co. Well, not much. Let's just say I wish I hadn't been crammed into my seat - wedged between an older gentleman with binoculars and my handsome date. Atleast I could lean a little bit to my right (we're talking proximity people, not politics) and share common real estate with somebody I know very well. He even remarked, "Good thing we know each other as well as we do."
Oh, and the seats. Well, I bought them via a Ticket Liquidator, whom, if I could, would give 5 stars. I also bought a parking pass to Jefferson Parking Garage. It was super easy to find, pull into and leave (so long as you leave about 3 minutes before the game ends).
This isn't the first Suns game I've seen, but it has been the more uncomfortable of the two. Our seats were in the upper section above the Celtics bench. I thought I would have seen more green, man. Not that I wanted the Celtics to win, but my date is from Boston. I thought it would be fun for him to sit among "his peeps." Well, the green was scattered - few and far between. That's okay. The Suns fans we were around didn't hackle or boo us - which was nice of them, considering I was clapping and cheering for the home team.
But, watching the game was more of a game than the actual action on the court (holy crapola, both teams sucked!). Our seats were in Row 7, the first row near the stairs over the entrance to the 205 section. Argh. If we had been two seats in, we would have been fine. If we had been one row down, even better. Somehow I managed to pick the seats that had bars and people in the way. My date said it didn't bother him, yet being a perfectionist, I was a tad disappointed in my selection. Atleast we were near the aisle and could come-and-go without disturbing too many people - just one guy in a leather jacket.
Finding our seats was easy. US Airways makes it easy to enter and leave the arena, which is great. Two escalators down makes for a speedy escape. Yet, dodging the people in the narrow halls is not that much fun. (But, standing around watching them is!)
Atleast the Suns Team Shop had the mascot monkey on sale for $7.50. Talk about a sure-fire way to appease anybody... right?
All in all, a fun experience with a fun date. We didn't partake of any of their crummy beer. We opted to go to The Roosevelt afterward, where we saw a few more fans - both Boston and Phoenix, alike. (Not to mention had two great beers from Rogue Brewing Co.)
Fun night! Too bad I felt like I had gotten the crappiest seats in the arena, only to have my view blocked from antsy fans and vendors selling anything you can imagine, from beer ("Cold beer here!"), something pink with whipped cream, giant cookies and a sardine sandwich. (Oh, wait, the latter was me...)
I just flew into Phoenix for a night to catch Game 4 of the WNBA Finals.
The venue is great to catch a ballgame. It's clean, people are friendly and every section has a great view of the court.
I really do enjoy traveling to Phoenix to catch a game. This is truly a great place to enjoy it all (and it gets you out of the heat). My partner went to buy a beer and came back with the hugest mug ever!
No really, I've been to many arenas and this is the most fan friendly place. You can take a picture next to the life-sized Steve Nash or Diana Taurasi. The employees are all super friendly and seem to happy working the events.
If you haven't checked out this arena, it's a must! Every seat makes you feel like you are sitting court-side with the best of the best!
i'm a basketball junkie and became a Suns fan during their amazing run in '92-'93. as a season ticket holder for 3 seasons now, the US Airways Center is almost a home away from home - only i don't have to do chores. speaking of which, the restrooms here are always squeaky clean. i've been to bigger arenas that give a whole new meaning to nose bleed section, and US Airways definately doesn't feel that way. it's as intimate as an arena for a major sports team can be and even the cheapest seats still give you a good view of the hardwood action. and who doesn't love a little hardwood action?
the food is not going to make you cheer any louder (that's what alcohol is for), but at least there are a variety of options. you got your standard arena concessions, Subway, Peter Piper Pizza, Cold Stone Creamery, Starbucks, Southwest Grill, G'Rilla Dogs and the two newest additions, Samurai Sam's and Great Steak and Potato Co.
anyways, i've been lucky enough to enjoy the arena when every game was sold out, and it's a bit depressing to see all the empty seats now. i know they haven't been as exciting as in the past years, but it's still fun to go with good friends. so please do the Suns (and me!) and huge favor and go to a game. you can get a great deal on tickets right now, especially if you buy them from season ticket holders through the Suns website. hopefully i'll see you at a game. GO SUNS!
K, so I'm totally mourning the official end of the Suns 2007-08 Season. I wanted to rip off my O'Neal 32 shirt & sub-in for Nash, especially during the 4th last night---rrrrrrr! My lovely San Antonio siblings are sending me a broom & Parker jersey as I write. Anyway, I wanted to end it on a positive note, so I've decided to post about my Suns experience at the center....
Parking--You know, I never realized how much impact parking has on my overall experience until I started writing reviews...Anyway, parking for an event is a non-issue if you don't mind walking a few blocks to the center. I parked off of 1st & Lincoln near an economically depressed area , with streets in serious need of repaving but @ the end of the night, my car was still there, unharmed. Definite plus.
Seating/visibility--We sat in the 'upper deck' but with the way the center is designed, I had decent visibility of the court, despite the dismal lighting. I felt slightly dizzy seated so high, with the low lighting and constant action all around me...And IMO, I felt there was entirely too much seating allocated to "CASINO ARIZONA". They pretty much take up an entire section. I don't know who gets to sit there but it pissed me off.
Entertainment--I appreciated that they didn't do the random cam that identifies people on a jumbotron with the caption instructing people to '________'--you fill in the blank. I've seen this @ hockey games, baseball, etc & always wondered how they avoided selecting two totally random people sitting next to each other to hug/kiss. Or why the jumbotron always makes people actually get up and do the funky chicken dance. Maybe it's magic....Anyway, I thought they did some cool stuff like give away a car, launch a jilion shirts into the crowd, and of course the gorilla was on hand to impress us with his slam dunking skills. He was of course, aided by a trampoline, but who cares? It's a slam dunking gorilla. At the end of the night, the Suns beat the Blazers, so it was alllllllll goooooood! Oh yeah AND I won some arena football tickets. Yea. I think.
The US Airways Center is great...that why it was chosen as the host of the 2009 NBA All-Star Game. If you are headed the All-Star game or are just going to a regular season game bring your cash, the parking garage that is attached is cash only. I found this site (http://KnowYourVenue.com) that had some good info about the all-star game and the US airways center, check out these links:
All-Star Info...
http://www.knowyourven...
Venue Info...
http://www.knowyourven...
Now called the US Airways Center, this is one of my favorite places to be. Not only because I am a huge Suns fan (which I am), but it's just a generally good vibe in there. Food is, well stadium food, but who goes for the food? The sound system is good and the seating structure is intuitive and easy to navigate.
The Suns still have the best introduction ceremony I have ever seen and I think a big part of it is this arena.
I freaking hate name changes! This will always be AWA to me.
This is my place all summer for Phoenix Mercury games. We love loud it can get in here. Players have said that this is one of those arenas where the crowd definitely becomes the X Factor because the volume on the court can get more intimidating than some other Arenas. As it should be.
I've seen lots of other concerts/events here too over the years and it can go from feeling like a small casual place, like during the AND1 Basketball Tour to an upscale "adult" spot, when Billy Joel played it, to a rocking explosion - Melissa Etheridge rocking the place down. This place does a great job of just "matching" the appropriate mood of the night.
While the food stuffs are generally open for the Sports events, there are some nice options. The Copper Club has some nicer options, though still quite casual. There is a new wood fired pizza place that is actually really good. Of course you've got Subway, McDonald's and Cold stone too.
It's a great spot for any event. Personal opinion though - if you are going for a sport event you have to sit in the bottom 1/2. There is such a huge difference in the seating that it's absolutely worth it - even if you're in the last row on the level.
Going to see the Suns play (first time) was a great experience. I finally got to see Phoenix fans actual show up for a game and participate. Perhaps it's because the Suns have been here for about 40 years, and have established history and roots. Perhaps it's due the excitement Shaq-Diesel brings to the team, even though he is well past his prime years of skill. Either way, I was happy to see the crowd so into the game, and excited for the Suns energy and presence on the court. Since I am from Boston (wait, you didn't know I am from Boston?) I was rooting for the Celtics. :) Yes, a Celtics game! I was very excited to go to this game and see my boys in green slugging it out against the high energy Suns. I expected a high scoring fast paced game, with KG and Stoudemire going point for point. I was pretty disappointed that not only did the Celtics loose, but they looked like a High School team. It was a low scoring affair on both sides, and the Suns didn't look very comfortable yet with Shaq in the lineup. It was still a blast, and even though my date was a Suns fan, she just happened to wear Celtics colors. ;)
The Arena is cool, very easy to get to and park, and clean. The bathrooms are modern and their are ample amounts of vendors to buy all things you'd expect at the game. The opening sequence were the Suns are introduced to the crowd is pretty intense, and the energy stays constant the entire game. I didn't drink any beer, or eat any food, so I cannot comment on the Stadium's food offerings. Overall I got the impression the beer variety was lacking, as there was a lot of bud light floating around.
No matter what event you come to AWA or US Airways (whatever) for, you're going to have fun. There's just something about this place...you really can't have a bad time. I'm with Jake about the opening for the Suns, it's awesome and just really pumps up the fans.
You do have a ton of food choices, but they're mainly of the fast food variety. You can get Pizza Hut, Burger King, Starbucks and more- they're all there in their artery clogging glory. Beer is never more than a few feet away and peddlers even come to you with it when you're sitting in your seat.
Perfection.
