General 3/6/2026 1:00:00 PM

Arizona Athletic Grounds Achieved New Heights in 2025

AAG's strongest year yet, fueled by record attendance and long-term partnerships

March 6, 2026 — Arizona Athletic Grounds, one of the nation's premier destinations for sports and entertainment, experienced significant growth in 2025. In its second full year under new ownership, the Grounds welcomed more than 2.8 million visitors, a 16% year-over-year increase, with guests representing all 50 states. Local residents remained a strong contributor to the venue's success, accounting for 74% of total visits and averaging 4.27 visits per person annually.

Several milestone events helped drive that growth. Nearly one million visits occurred in the first quarter alone, fueled by record attendance during MLK and Presidents' Day weekends. Momentum continued into the summer with Section 7, one of the most prestigious high school basketball recruiting events in the country and carried into the final month of the year with MLS NEXT Fest, the largest youth soccer tournament in North America.

A key driver behind the Grounds' success in 2025 was a strong focus on operational efficiency and enhancing the guest experience. One area that greatly benefited from that focus was food & beverage, which delivered more than 55% of retail sales growth year-over-year. The opening of Bristol's Restaurant and Market in February, followed by the addition of Wetzel's Pretzels in April, and Zaria Pizza in July, further expanded the venue's dining offerings and contributed to the year's strong results.
The year's strong performance led to securing 15 multi-year agreements with major sports organizations including MLS NEXT, the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA), MADE Hoops, West Coast Premier, and the American Cornhole League (ACL). Many of these agreements extend through 2028 and 2029, positioning the venue for sustained long-term growth.

Arizona Athletic Grounds also expanded its brand partnerships in 2025. New national partners included Capelli Sport and Franklin Sports, while the facility's high-impact, campus-wide digital displays attracted strong interest from local partners such as Queen Creek Olive Mill and Revel Surf. Real estate partners Lennar and Blossom Rock also leveraged the facility's visibility. In hospitality, the Grounds added hotel partners Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn and DoubleTree, while continuing to collaborate with popular food and beverage brands including Wetzel's Pretzels and Bahama Buck's.

Digital engagement also grew significantly in 2025. The official website, AZGrounds.com, recorded 2.2 million visits, while the Grounds' online community expanded to more than 60,000 newsletter subscribers and 25,000 Instagram followers. The organization also strengthened its digital ecosystem with the launch of the AZ Grounds mobile app and the introduction of the Grounds Rewards loyalty program in November 2025.

About Arizona Athletic Grounds
AAG is one of the largest youth-oriented sports and entertainment facilities in North America. The Mesa, Arizona facility serves millions of visitors per year, providing athletic and special events programming. Visit the website, www.azgrounds.com for more information and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for updates. For additional information on rentals, sponsorship or event programming at AAG, please reach out to the AAG team at info@azgrounds.com.

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