Mortgage Matchup Center – Phoenix Suns
- Dave Cottenie
- 22 hours ago
- 5 min read
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00
Mortgage Matchup Center 201 E Jefferson St Phoenix, AZ 85004
Year Opened: 1992 Capacity: 17,071
Original Suns
At one point, the Phoenix Suns were the only pro game in Arizona. That has since, of course, changed with Major League Baseball expanding to Phoenix, the National Football League moving from St. Louis and even the National Hockey League coming and going. However, the NBA still has the staying power and a commanding presence in the desert. Founded as an expansion team in 1968, the Suns are still working on that elusive first championship after three appearances in the finals in 1976, 1993 and 2021.
Home for the Suns is Mortgage Matchup Center. Built in 1992 as America West Arena, it was one of the first basketball specific arenas in the NBA. Although the Phoenix Coyotes did call the arena home from 1996 to 2003, it was never ideal and there were plenty of obstructed views. The most recent renovations have underlined that Mortgage Matchup Center is a basketball centric facility, which definitely has advantages for the Suns game experience.
Food & Beverage 4
The concession options at Mortgage Matchup Center are solid. There are a number of options on both the main and upper concourse levels along with some other dining options. Local favourites that can be found in the arena include Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers, Shaq’s Big Chicken, Benthana Sushi, Los Soles Taqueria and Spinatos Pizza. Concession locations and options are well documented on the Mortgage Matchup Center website for those who like to plan ahead for their dining experience. The beer selection is solid as well as other alcoholic beverage options. One spot of note is the Dos Equis Beergarden, which takes advantage of the excellent fall and winter weather in Phoenix.
Atmosphere 4
Mortgage Matchup Center has an attractive main entry on the northwest corner of the building. A large, glass, concave entry point is welcoming. The northwest corner also has a large square to go along with the main LED sign, which is the perfect meeting place for fans before the game. Entering the main entry point brings fans into a large atrium which has a huge bar and is a great pregame social area.
Mortgage Matchup Center is unique in that the upper concourse is far more interesting than the lower concourse. The lower concourse does have more concession options and a food court style eating area, however there are plenty of items to explore on the upper concourse. There are portraits for all of the members of the Suns with retired numbers or banners. There are also other artifacts found in glass cases for both the Suns and Phoenix Mercury. Inside the seating bowl, the floor is north-south oriented with the best spot for a center court logo from the west. In the rafters on the west side hang the banners honoring Phoenix Suns players and personnel including Dick Van Arsdale, Kevin Johnson, Walter Davis, Dan Majerle, Steve Nash, Tom Chambers, Shawn Marion, Amar’e Stoudemire, Alvan Adams, Charles Barkley, Connie Hawkins, Al McCoy, Cotton Fitzsimmons, John MacLeod, Joe Proski and Jerry Colangelo. At the northwest corner hang the Suns conference championship banners. Phoenix Mercury banners also hang. Above center court is a state-of-the-art four-sided videoboard, which is of ample size, but does not totally dominate the arena. There are also narrow LED boards at the top of all four ends which provide statistics and other information. Being a basketball-centric facility, the sightlines in Mortgage Matchup Center are fantastic with two seating decks in an octagonal shape with suite levels in between.
The gameday atmosphere at a Suns game is typical of an NBA game. There is constant activity and near sensory overload. The Sun Dancers perform a few times during stoppages and the Suns mascot, The Gorilla, takes part in pre-game ceremonies and promotions.
Neighborhood 5
Mortgage Matchup Center is located in Downtown Phoenix. There are a ton of options for pre and postgame food and drink just steps from the arena. Some options include The Whining Pig, Humble Bistro, Rosso Italian, Blue Hound, Phoenix Bourbon Room and The Arrogant Butcher. There are a few other sporting options in the area. Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, is just steps from the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mortgage Matchup Center is shared with the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA. The college basketball experience of the Grand Canyon Antelopes is also worth checking out. There are other options, including the Arizona Cardinals and the teams at Arizona State University, that are not in Phoenix proper, but a short drive away. There are plenty of other tourist options while in Arizona. These can include the Heard Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Heritage & Scenic Park, Arizona Science Center, Desert Botanical Garden Arizona Financial Theatre and Symphony Hall. For fans wishing to stay near the arena, Homes2Suites, Courtyard and Residence Inn are all options.
Fans 5
The Phoenix Suns enjoy some of the most consistent support in the NBA. For the past number of years, they have averaged a capacity crowd. Due to the comparatively small capacity of the Mortgage Matchup Center to other NBA facilities, this ranks the Suns in the bottom third of the NBA in attendance. However, the team can only work with what it has and to have better turnouts at Suns games is not possible. The fans in attendance are loud and supportive and definitely give off the vibe that the Suns are Phoenix’s first team.
Access 4
Mortgage Matchup Center is located in Downtown Phoenix on the south side of East Jefferson, between 1st and 3rd. It is just 1.1 miles south of I-10 and 2 miles west of another portion of I-10. It is 1.2 miles north of I-17, so getting to the arena from out of town is not too difficult. There are a number of parking garages in the downtown area, so parking should not be terribly difficult, however, it is recommended to plan for parking using a prepaid parking app. For fans who wish to take public transit, the Valley Metro light rail travels right past Mortgage Matchup Center. Fans should consult the Valley Metro website for schedules, maps and fares. The concourses in Mortgage Matchup Center can get a bit congested and the washroom facilities are adequate.
Security protocols for the NBA and major sporting events are in constant flux. Stadium Journey strongly recommends consulting the Mortgage Matchup Center and Phoenix Suns websites for the most up to date security information, including prohibited items and bag policies.
Return on Investment 3
Phoenix Suns tickets begin at $30 for upper deck ends. Dynamic pricing and the secondary market can definitely skew the cost of tickets. They go up to $550 and over $2400 for courtside seats. The 2016 Fan Cost Index for the NBA had the Suns just above league average as the 10th most expensive experience. The reality is that the NBA, and all professional, major sports are increasingly expensive.
Extras 3
An extra mark for the longevity of the Suns franchise; at one point, the only professional game in town.
An extra mark for the iconic and unique Gorilla mascot.
An extra mark for Jerry Colangelo, a basketball legend and the first General Manager of the Suns at only age 28.
Final Thoughts
Since the Phoenix Suns have welcomed professional sports competition in the desert, they have continued to prosper. Mortgage Matchup Center is one of the top basketball-centric venues in the NBA and provides the Suns with the opportunity for an excellent gameday experience.
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