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Great news for those who live in Tucson.
By Chris Davis
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
The Phoenix Suns' off-season of change continued Wednesday when the club picked the UA as the site for its new training camp.
In the process, the Suns will help the UA raise money to build its own practice facility.
The seven-day training camp will begin at McKale Center on Oct. 3. The Suns will hold an intrasquad scrimmage Oct. 8, with all proceeds going to help build the practice facility.
Robert Sarver, a Sabino High School and UA alum who spearheaded a group that bought the Suns last June, said the move to Tucson from Flagstaff is a great opportunity to expand the team's fan base.
"One of the motivations was to give ourselves exposure in other markets," said Sarver, who is the controlling owner and vice chairman. "The other is the facilities in Arizona are really good."
Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff had been the team's training camp location 16 times over the past 19 seasons.
Six months ago, Sarver inquired to UA basketball coach Lute Olson and athletic director Jim Livengood about the move to Tucson.
He said both were very receptive to the idea.
"We also looked at going to San Diego and using USD but we decided to go with Tucson," he said. "It's the second-largest city in Arizona, we've got people who come up for games and listen to us on the radio, so it makes a lot of sense."
According to Chris Del Conte, the UA's senior associate director of athletics, sports programs and operations, the move also made a lot of sense for the UA.
He credited the friendships between Livengood and the Colangelos, as well as Olson and Sarver as a big reason this worked out.
"The best thing about it is that we have an unbelievable relationship with Mr. Sarver," Del Conte said. "We also have a number of people from Tucson who are part of the new ownership group."
Relationships aside, the UA also stands to benefit from a financial standpoint.
Sarver said the Suns' intrasquad scrimmage will be open to the public and the money raised will go toward the new practice facility.
"The big thing is that intrasquad scrimmage," Sarver said. "It lets the people in Tucson know we're interested in their support."
This will be the Suns' first appearance in Tucson since playing a preseason game Oct. 15, 2000 at McKale.
However, Phoenix will not be playing any preseason games in Tucson this year. The team will have two practices each day from Oct. 4 to Oct. 7 and one from Oct. 8 to Oct. 10.
The Suns will then return to Phoenix and will host the Los Angeles Clippers in their first preseason home game Oct. 15.
Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said as long as his team can be together and get work done, he'll be happy here.
"As long as the setting is conducive to what we're doing, and Tucson has that," he said. "The UA has great facilities and Tucson is a great city. We're looking forward to going there."
Among the new faces on the Suns for the upcoming season will include former Utah Jazz guard Raja Bell and former New York Knick Kurt Thomas.
D'Antoni said the team has gotten deeper and better despite losing some key players from last year's team.
"The objective was to start the year tougher and be better defensively," he said. "We wanted to tweak the team a little and we did more than that, but it didn't start out that way.
"I think we have a chance to be better and as a coach that's all you can ask for."
By Chris Davis
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
The Phoenix Suns' off-season of change continued Wednesday when the club picked the UA as the site for its new training camp.
In the process, the Suns will help the UA raise money to build its own practice facility.
The seven-day training camp will begin at McKale Center on Oct. 3. The Suns will hold an intrasquad scrimmage Oct. 8, with all proceeds going to help build the practice facility.
Robert Sarver, a Sabino High School and UA alum who spearheaded a group that bought the Suns last June, said the move to Tucson from Flagstaff is a great opportunity to expand the team's fan base.
"One of the motivations was to give ourselves exposure in other markets," said Sarver, who is the controlling owner and vice chairman. "The other is the facilities in Arizona are really good."
Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff had been the team's training camp location 16 times over the past 19 seasons.
Six months ago, Sarver inquired to UA basketball coach Lute Olson and athletic director Jim Livengood about the move to Tucson.
He said both were very receptive to the idea.
"We also looked at going to San Diego and using USD but we decided to go with Tucson," he said. "It's the second-largest city in Arizona, we've got people who come up for games and listen to us on the radio, so it makes a lot of sense."
According to Chris Del Conte, the UA's senior associate director of athletics, sports programs and operations, the move also made a lot of sense for the UA.
He credited the friendships between Livengood and the Colangelos, as well as Olson and Sarver as a big reason this worked out.
"The best thing about it is that we have an unbelievable relationship with Mr. Sarver," Del Conte said. "We also have a number of people from Tucson who are part of the new ownership group."
Relationships aside, the UA also stands to benefit from a financial standpoint.
Sarver said the Suns' intrasquad scrimmage will be open to the public and the money raised will go toward the new practice facility.
"The big thing is that intrasquad scrimmage," Sarver said. "It lets the people in Tucson know we're interested in their support."
This will be the Suns' first appearance in Tucson since playing a preseason game Oct. 15, 2000 at McKale.
However, Phoenix will not be playing any preseason games in Tucson this year. The team will have two practices each day from Oct. 4 to Oct. 7 and one from Oct. 8 to Oct. 10.
The Suns will then return to Phoenix and will host the Los Angeles Clippers in their first preseason home game Oct. 15.
Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said as long as his team can be together and get work done, he'll be happy here.
"As long as the setting is conducive to what we're doing, and Tucson has that," he said. "The UA has great facilities and Tucson is a great city. We're looking forward to going there."
Among the new faces on the Suns for the upcoming season will include former Utah Jazz guard Raja Bell and former New York Knick Kurt Thomas.
D'Antoni said the team has gotten deeper and better despite losing some key players from last year's team.
"The objective was to start the year tougher and be better defensively," he said. "We wanted to tweak the team a little and we did more than that, but it didn't start out that way.
"I think we have a chance to be better and as a coach that's all you can ask for."
