(Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents PGA TOUR.)
By Ray Belkora | Cronkite News
SCOTTSDALE – Not every PGA Tour stop would welcome its tournament coinciding with the Super Bowl.
The WM Phoenix Open embraces it.
“Adding the Super Bowl clearly adds an element of more people in town, more media in town, more eyes on our market,” said 2023 WM Phoenix Open tournament chairman Pat Williams. “The world truly will be focused on metro Phoenix this weekend.”
The tournament regularly draws the largest galleries on the PGA Tour, making it the ultimate people-watching event. And it isn’t just about golf at the TPC Scottsdale during tournament week.
Each night, fans pack into the Coors Light Bird’s Nest for concerts featuring music headliners. This year, country star Jason Aldean performs in “the Nest” on Thursday night. Machine Gun Kelly is on stage Friday. And The Chainsmokers and Gryffin headline on Saturday night.
Attractions like the Bird’s Nest, coupled with typically mild February temperatures, help the tournament hold its ground while competing with the Super Bowl – even when the game is played right across town at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
Kickoff for the game usually coincides with the end of the tournament. Although this year’s competition is scheduled to end Sunday, in 1996, the event was played Wednesday through Saturday when the Super Bowl was held in Sun Devil Stadium.
Ryan Woodcock, director of communications for the WM Phoenix Open, said the tournament even benefits from the Super Bowl in many ways.
