As the Phoenix leg of Simone Biles’ Gold Over America Tour was all set to start, the squad reached its location at the Footprint Center. After the Oceanside event, the crowd was buzzing with excitement to catch a glimpse of the stars set to perform. In a special effort to welcome them, the city put on a warm reception. The Footprint Center, home of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, played a role in the festivities, bringing in three stars from the team to greet the gymnastics squad.

The stars, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and Kahleah Copper, joined the gymnasts on stage, taking pictures together and posing with Simone Biles, proudly holding their Paris Olympics gold medals. After the performance, the gymnasts and WNBA stars took a victory lap around the arena, creating a mesmerizing moment for the crowd. The entire gymnastics squad, including Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, and Jade Carey, received an overwhelming reception at the Footprint Center, making the event unforgettable. The stadium’s iconic status, regarded as one of the best arenas in the country, only enhanced the atmosphere.

Footprint Center, Phoenix Suns and Mercury’s environment-friendly arena

Footprint Center, previously called Phoenix Suns Arena, is an indoor sports venue with a seating capacity of 18,000. It can be used for numerous purposes, including sporting events, concerts, and many more. The arena is of one kind because of its environmental initiatives. The name Footprint Center was given to the stadium in 2021 after its association with the sustainable company Footprint. It is focused on avoiding waste that occurs in events filled with a large audience. The main motto of the company is removing plastics for the good of the environment.

Speaking on this partnership with CNBC, Robert Sarver, former owner of the Phoenix Suns, said it’s one of the most innovative partnerships in sports that’ll change the way sports venues go about it. He further said that the company would benefit from such a partnership, as its popularity would make it a household name. Footprint CEO talked about the name of the stadium and said, “The reason it’s called the Footprint Center is we’re going to put Footprint at the center of the sustainable universe.”

He also emphasized that the waste generated at sporting events is harmful to the environment, and they were aiming to change that. Three years later, the partnership between the Phoenix Suns and Footprint has flourished, making the stadium truly unique with its sustainable innovations. This made it an ideal venue for the Gold Over America Tour. In addition to gymnastics, the stadium hosts various other events due to its multipurpose design.

Besides Gold Over America Tour, other important events held at Footprint Center

Footprint Center is the home of NBA side Phoenix Suns. The team plays their home games in that stadium. In fact, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced in March that the stadium will host the 2027 All-Stars game after San Francisco in 2025 and Los Angeles in 2026. Phoenix Suns chairman Mat Ishbia was delighted with the news and called the city ‘the ultimate basketball decision’. He further promised to provide the fans with an NBA all-star event like no other. “Thank you to the NBA and the entire Phoenix community for rallying together to bring this marquee event to Phoenix and show the world what we are all about,” he added. The Footprint Center also hosted this year’s WNBA All-Stars game.

As the home of the Phoenix Mercury, also owned by Mat Ishbia, the Footprint Center hosted this year’s WNBA All-Star event in July, where rapper Pitbull delivered an unforgettable halftime performance. The venue is well-known for hosting concerts, and it has seen iconic performances like Madonna’s full career retrospective on March 16th. Just three days earlier, Nicki Minaj took the stage as part of her Pink Friday 2 World Tour. Looking ahead, major artists like Iron Maiden, Charli XCX, and Shakira are set to perform, with their shows already scheduled.

In addition to music and sports, the Footprint Center has also hosted political events. On September 3rd, former Fox News journalist Tucker Carlson kicked off his 16-city tour focusing on his Christian faith at the stadium, with actor Russell Brand joining him. The diverse range of events held at the Footprint Center, from political discussions to high-profile concerts, has cemented its iconic status. This versatility made it the ideal venue for the Gold Over America Tour, led by Simone Biles, adding another memorable chapter to its history.